Kootenai National Forest

Fire & Aviation

Prescribed Burning

In addition to wildland fire suppression, fire is used in a variety of ways on the Kootenai National Forest to meet management needs. Prescribed burning is used for site preparation for tree planting or natural regeneration where commercial harvest has occurred, for reducing hazardous fuel build up under natural stands, increasing browse for wildlife and protection of private land by removing ingrowth under the tree canopy.

Commercial Harvest Fuels Reduction

After a commercial harvest of timber the site must be treated to remove the hazardous fuel accumulation and to prepare the site for regeneration if it is a regeneration harvest. Several methods can be used to accomplish this goal. Some of the methods commonly used are excavator piling, slashing of damaged residual trees, hand piling of slash and prescribed fire. The goal is to reduce the slash caused by harvesting of timber to approximately 10-15 tons of woody debris per acre while leaving the larger diameter slash for future nutrients and small wildlife habitat. Snag retention is also needed to provide both nesting and a food source for birds and small mammals. This is accomplished by piling the slash with careful attention to the amount of slash piled and its arrangement. During prescribed burning of the slash, snags and woody debris can be left as needed by timing the burning when the dryness of the slash is such that the larger material and snags will not be consumed. By piling or prescribed burning, scarification of the site (providing bare soil) can be accomplished to provide a seed bed for either natural regeneration or hand planting.

Providing Browse for Wildlife

Areas within the Forest have been designated as wildlife habitat. In order to sustain wildlife on these areas, there must be browse for them to feed on. Browse consists of several different species of shrubs which need refreshing every few years to provide fresh growth for the wildlife. Prior to modern man coming on the scene, fire was present and by burning through these areas, "refreshed" them to provide succulant, new growth. Since man has been here, fire suppression has reduced the "refreshing" of the shrubs, reducing the new growth available for wildlife. The use of prescribed fire to refresh the shrubs is done on several thousand acres within the Kootenai National Forest during the spring of the year. It is done in the spring prior to new growth of the different browse species, most notably along Lake Koocanusa. Once spring is in full bloom, wildlife burning is curtailed.

Reduction of Natural Fuels

Since modern man appeared, fire suppression has changed the cycle of natural fire by allowing the accumulation of fuels on the forest floor. This has been occurring for approximately 80 years, which in recent times has produced an abundance of fuel build up. Because of this, use of prescribed fire, excavator piling and hand piling has been done to reduce these natural fuels. By reducing the natural fuels, the forest will return to its historic condition.

Modern man has also encroached on the forest by building homes within the wildland/urban interface. The building of homes within the forest and close to the increased natural fuel build up has increased the need for fire protection from the different wildland fire agencies.

USDA Forest Service - Kootenai National Forest
Last Modified: Tuesday, 27 May 2008 at 15:22:31 EDT