Prescribed burns planned on Swan River Forest

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is planning a number of prescribed burns on Northwest Montana state land this fall.

Smoke will be visible from various places in the Flathead and Swan Valleys. All prescribed burns will follow Montana Air Quality Standards and are coordinated with the Montana State Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the impacts of smoke.

Prescribed fire is used by forest managers to reduce slash and prepare treated forest stands for regeneration. Forest officials say that low to moderate intensity fire returns nutrients to the soil, releases cone seeds on newly exposed mineral soil, and reduces presence of competing vegetation to better allow new seedlings to establish and thrive. The reduction of slash creates breaks in fuel across the landscape and decreases the potential for large fire growth in treated areas.

Swan River State Forest

• Swan Wood Unit 23-07 – (88 acres) Located off Fatty Creek Road. Smoke will be visible from HWY 83 and the town of Swan Lake.

• Cilly 349 Unit 04-16 – (6 acres) Located in South Lost Creek Drainage on the bottom 1/3 of the slope. Will be visible from HWY 83, the town of Swan Lake, and portions of the South end of the Flathead Valley.

• Cilly 349 Unit 09-14 – (15 acres) Located on Cilly Ridge south of South Lost Creek. Will be visible from HWY 83, the town of Swan Lake and areas of southern Flathead Valley.

• Cilly Excaline Unit 10-05 – (11 acres) Located near Cilly Creek off Soup Creek Rd. Will be visible from HWY 83, the town of Swan Lake, and southern Flathead Valley.

For more information on the Swan River State Forest call 406-754-2301 or contact the Unit Manager at mattarno@mt.gov .