Missoula Ranger District, Blue Mountain Prescribed Burning Planned for April 30

The Missoula Ranger District is hoping to start on some prescribed burning up Blue Mountain tomorrow.

"Blue Mountain Area in the Missoula Ranger District, it's an area that they've been doing some burning for several years," Lolo National Forest Spokeman Boyd Hartwig said. "It's a multi-year program to produce surface fuels and promote things like Ponderosa Pine regeneration. If the weather conditions will cooperate, it looks like there's a possibility of some gusty winds, so they'll definitely be paying attention to that."

Hartwig said if the winds persist and the conditions aren’t right, a decision will be decided early today to postpone the burns.

"It's going to be two burns, potentially over multiple days. One unit is 80 acres and the other is 87. Both are kind of located northwest of the main Blue Mountain Trailhead," Hartwig said. "There will be some potential impacts to some trails in that area, but those trails will be signed and if there will be folks up there, we'll make sure that we mark those areas to advise folks in that area, and on the road too."

If folks are going to be traveling near the Blue Mountain Trailhead tomorrow, Hartwig said to use caution as national forest vehicles will be moving in and out of the area throughout the day.