Close call yet on fire danger
A few weeks ago, I wrote that it looked like there would not be much of a fire season on the North Fork. Like all politicians and most columnists, I did add a disclaimer - unless we have unusually dry weather. So far I am sticking with my original opinion. No big fire season on the North Fork in 2011. However, I'm going to expand on my disclaimer.
For nearly two weeks the weather has been much warmer than usual. A normal good-weather September has daytime temperatures in the 70-degree range and a few nighttime lows in the 20-degree range.
This year, it has been daytime temperatures in the high 80s and fewer than usual freezing nights. My thermometer has recorded a high of 88 and a low of 30 in the last 10 days, and neighbors have reported slightly warmer highs and lows down to 24.
As a result, grasses have cured out and low shrubs are quite dry, as is the surface soil. Moreover, the seven-day forecast is for continued warm, dry weather.
Given a dry lightning storm with winds, or just wind and a careless human, we could still have a significant fire. It's nearly mid-September and we're due for a rain or snow event that will end the threat of fire - both the Red Bench and the Wedge Canyon fires were ended by mid-September weather - but the sky is filled with smoke from fires south and west of the North Fork. Everyone needs to be careful and watch for smokes. Quick initial attack on any fire is vital.
Except for continued fire danger, fall is in the air. The gophers are gone, the pine squirrels are twitter-pated, and the foliage is beginning to turn from lush green to yellow and gold. Time to enjoy our good fortune at being on the North fork and prepare for winter.
Year-rounders prepare by filling woodsheds and stocking up on food and generator fuel. Summer residents prepare by draining water pipes and packing up to go south. Both buy orange paint to post their land as off limits to hunters - as a protection of their property as much as to protect wildlife.
Big conversation item this week was the reported campers at Sondreson Meadow shooting rifles across the river into Glacier National Park. Not only is it illegal to shoot across open water, there is good reason for the law. These individuals doing the shooting badly frightened river floaters and fishermen, and someone could have been badly hurt or even killed.
As always, it is not the gun that is to blame - it's the stupid human pulling the trigger. Like any tool, a gun is only dangerous when handled carelessly.
The Oct. 1 meeting of the North Fork Landowners Association at Sondreson Hall at 8 p.m. is the last business meeting of 2011. Remember to bring nonperishable food items for donation to the Columbia Falls food bank. Cash donations are also happily accepted.