Public comment sought on proposal to salvage and sell fire-killed timber

A proposal to harvest timber from land affected by the Caribou fire — for which public comment is sought — is a good sign, says a Lincoln County Commissioner.

“It’s absolutely a positive path forward to harvest timber that would otherwise be going to waste,” said Commissioner Mike Cole, who represents the Eureka District in which the proposed timber salvage project resides.

On the path to making the project happen on 506 acres of the West Kootenai Wildlife Management Area, Region One of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks seeks public comment on the project’s Draft Environmental Assessment.

“The proposed project would include the use of mechanized timber harvest to remove merchantable fire-killed timber, as well as associated road maintenance work and reclamation activities,” the agency states in an Oct. 24 news release.

The area is near the community of West Kootenai and is about 6.5 miles north of Rexford.

People can get copies of the assessment at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks office at 490 N. Meridian Rd. in Kalispell or via the internet at fwp.mt.gov/news/publicNotices/environmentalAssessments/restorationAndRehab. Copies can also be viewed at local libraries.

The assessment’s 14-day review period ends 5 p.m. Nov. 8.

Viewed in the context of other similar sales being considered by the Forest Service, Cole said the “timing and energy” the agencies “are putting toward getting salvage out is indicative of differing attitudes toward the utilization of timber products.”

For more information contact FWP Area Wildlife Biologist Tim Thier by calling 406-882-4697, emailing tthier@interbel.net or mailing him a letter at P.O. Box 52, Trego, MT 59934.