Forest Service looks to salvage East Fork Fire

| October 25, 2023 2:00 AM

The Flathead National Forest, Tally Lake District Ranger is inviting the public to make comments on the proposed East Fork Salvage Project. The project is located in the Martin Creek and Blessed Pass area, approximately six miles west of Olney.

It is within the 1,080 acres of the 2023 East Fork Fire that burned on the Flathead National Forest last summer.

The purpose of the project is to reestablish forested conditions and facilitate recovery to meet desired conditions outlined in the Flathead National Forest Plan, the Forest Service said in a release.

There is a need to improve diversity and resiliency with focus on future timber productivity and fuels objectives in the area impacted by the fire. Vegetation management would increase the presence of more fire-resistant tree species such as ponderosa pine, western larch, and western white pine.

The project proposes to implement commercial salvage harvest of up to 250 acres of fire-damaged trees and conduct post-harvest fuels mitigation and reforestation.

The project also requires up to a half mile of temporary road construction, road maintenance, and reconstruction of existing Forest roads.

Public comments specific to these projects are valuable in helping the Forest Service identify concerns and provide feedback. Comments are due by Nov. 3.

To provide electronic comments and learn more about the project, and to learn more about the project’s location, purpose and need, and proposed actions, please visit the project website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/flathead/?project=65003.

The “Get Connected” menu on the right side of the page provides an option to comment as well as an option to subscribe to email updates. Comments should include your name, address, telephone number and (if applicable) the name of the organization you represent.

If you wish to mail written comments, please address them to: Flathead National Forest Attn: Gary Blazejewski – East Fork Salvage Project 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 59901.

Comments may also be hand delivered weekdays 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Tally Lake District office.

If you have additional questions, please contact Project Leader Gary Blazejewski at gary.blazejewski@usda.gov or at 406-387-3827.