North Central Montana District plans numerous prescribed fires over upcoming months
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(LEWISTOWN, Mont.) – The Bureau of Land Management North Central Montana District (NCMD) is planning up to five prescribed fire operations throughout the field season when fuel conditions and weather permit safe operations.
The Antelope Creek burn is a cooperative multi-jurisdictional prescribed fire. The burn will cover 8,564 acres of federal, state and private lands north of the Missouri River approximately 19 miles southwest of Zortman, MT within the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. This prescribed fire will ignite in the spring between March and June and is being implemented to aid in reducing conifer encroachment of meadows and to provide for a more resilient landscape.
The Hawk Coulee burn will cover 600 acres and is located on federal lands 13 miles north east of Glasgow, MT. This burn will ignite between March and May and helps restore crested wheatgrass back to native vegetation.
The Whitewater burn will cover 685 acres and is located on federal lands 35 miles north of Malta, MT and 11 miles east of Loring, MT. This burn will ignite between March and May and will help reduce the amount of decadent plant material and recycle nutrients into the soil, reinvigorating the vegetative community.
The North Moccasins burn will cover 50 acres and is located on federal lands in the North Moccasins Mountains 16 miles north of Lewistown, MT. This burn will ignite between March and June. This project will improve stand resiliency and diversity and improve wildlife habitat.
The North Fork burn will cover 88 acres located on federal and private lands 15 miles north east of White Sulphur Springs, MT. This burn will fall between August and November and is being implemented to reduce stand density and provide for a more resilient landscape to wildfires.
Questions or comments please contact Mike Solheim, NCMD Fuels Program Manager 406-538-1976
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.