Incident Overview
Burning Planned Today, May 14, 2012
Fire crews will be conducting a 31-acre prescribed burn on the Stevensville Ranger District this afternoon near the Bear Creek Area off Forest road #1327. Smoke will likely be visible near Stevensville and from Highway 93 and will likely remain over the fire area for several days. The Forest Service will monitor the fire until it is completely out. Ignition of the fire will cease if there is a change in burning conditions or if management objectives are not met.
Prescribed fires have several benefits including improving forest health, wildlife habitat for deer and elk forage, and reducing the potential for high intensity wildfires later this summer. Check the information on this site for a map of burn locations, closure information and fire photos.
Darby and Stevensville Ranger District Prescribed Burns
Throughout the the spring and early summer, the Darby and Stevenvsille Ranger District(s) of the Bitterroot National Forest plan to implement prescribed burn projects on the West side of the Bitterroot Mountains near the of the towns of Darby, Victor and Stevensville as long as weather conditions, fuel moistures and smoke dispersal are met.
Darby Ranger District Burns:
Chaffin #1 Prescribed Burn - (Chaffin Creek Area) : This unit is 264 acres in size. The west side of the unit (76 acres) was burned in the Fall of 2010. The remaining part to be burned is 188 acres and is located 4.5 miles up Chaffin Creek Road. This burn is being conducted to reduce fuel hazard by removing/burning small diameter trees to reduce encroachment and maintain a semi-open forest condition for the remaining overstory Ponderosa Pine trees.
Hayes Creek Prescribed Burn (Coyote Coulee Trail Area): There are a total of 13 units (460 acres) and 4 units still left to burn.
Waddell Units 1-4 (South of Lake Como on 550A Road): The first of four units (269 acres total) to be burned this spring will be approx. 164 acres. Three remaining units will be looked at for burning in Fall 2012 and into the spring/early summer of 2013.
Stevensville Ranger District Burns:
SWC #1 and SWC #2 Burns (Bear Creek Trail Area): These are 2 small units of 31 acres and 7 acres. These units are being burned to cleanup residual slash from past logging treatments.
St. Mary's 30B (St. Mary's Trail Road #739 Between McCalla Creek & Silverthorn Creek): This unit is 50 acres in size and will be burned to move toward desired conditions for vegetation.
Burn Area Safety / Future Trail & Road Closures:
As burning begins in some of these areas; expect smokey conditions, low visibility along road ways & be aware of fire traffic in these areas as roadways may become congested so drive cautiously. Additional information will be posted to this site for updated trail & road closures as burning operations begin to occur.
Please contact the Darby Ranger District at 406-821-3913 or the Stevensville Ranger District at 406-777-5461 for questions regarding any of these burns.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Prescribed Fire |
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Current Situation
| Size | 593 acres |
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