Lightning starts three fires on reservation
<p>Deer flee from the smoke caused by a 42-acre burn near Buffalo Bridge last August. This year's fire season could be worse.</p>
FLATHEAD RESERVATION — Unusually thick underbrush, high temperatures, lightning storms — once again Montana is in prime fire condition.
In fact, a rash of recent fires have already sparked concern among prevention officers statewide. At Governor Brian Schweitzer’s annual fire briefing, held Monday, those officers emphasized the problems created by this year’s unique weather pattern.
According to information provided by the governor’s office, the cold winter, large snowpack and cool, wet spring helped keep fires at bay through June but also allowed for tremendous, ground-level vegetation growth. Now that temperatures have risen, experts told the governor, that undergrowth is drying out and creating a larger-than-average amount of fire-fuel.
Locally, the CSKT fire management division has already dealt with two one-acre fires and is continuing to fight a 140-acre blaze. Curtis Matt, information officer for the division, said lightning ignited all three.
“We’re expecting lightning storms every day for the rest of the week,” Matt said.
In response to that risk, the CSKT decided to implement a stage I plan, which limits public use of fire, starting at midnight, Aug. 2.
According to Matt, stage I restrictions include: building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire except within a developed recreation site or other approved site; smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or a place, at least three feet in diameter, cleared of all flammable material.
The restrictions apply to the Flathead River corridor, which includes the land from Kerr dam to the reservation line south of Perma. Matt described the fire danger as “very high” on the west side of the reservation and “high” on the east side. On both sides “fields are cured and ready to burn,” Matt said.
Officials for the CSKT fire management division will continue to enforce the restrictions until the stage I plan is rescinded. When, exactly, that will be is not yet clear.
“It will remain in effect until mother nature says it’s OK,” Matt said.
For more information contact CSKT information officer Curtis Matt at 676-2550.