Well, the folks at NFNews aren’t on the North Fork very much these days, so we’ve slowed down our posts to NFNews. If you have some information that you would like to share with the North Fork community, send it along and we’ll post it. We’ll also post notices sent to us by the various agencies (e.g., Forest Service, Park, etc.). But otherwise, news is going to be slow.
The best way to get this sort of intermittent news is by signing up for the email (see the sidebar to sign up). That way, you’ll get notified of new posts and won’t have to keep coming back to the NFNews home page. We promise that we never share our reader’s emails with anyone.
They are proposing to acquire two properties totaling about 23 acres using Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF). The parcels are along the section of the Polebridge Loop Road between the Polebridge Mercantile and the entrance to Glacier National Park. The acquisition would connect adjacent public lands managed by the Flathead National Forest along the designated Wild and Scenic corridor of the North Fork Flathead River.
The owners of both properties are willing sellers who wish to protect their lands from further development. (There are rumors of one potential buyer wanting to establish an RV park.)
The link below takes you to a general article, including links to the project documentation:
The North Fork’s very own Debo Powers is running as a candidate to replace House District 3 Representative Zac Perry who resigned in September. Get more details about this race from the Hungry Horse News article that says… “Powers is a writer for the North Fork News and President of the North Fork Preservation Association.”
Although Debo has indeed been a long time and valued contributor to NFNews, we all know that she has done much more for the North Fork community than that, including… currently on the Flathead Resource Advisory Committee, past President of the North Fork Landowner’s Association, a Forest Service volunteer fire lookout for Cyclone every summer, a volunteer road patroller for Glacier National Park in the springtime, one of the founders of the North Fork History Project, free dance lessons at the hall all winter long, volunteer caller and teacher for square dances at the community hall during the summer, noxious weed puller, hike leader, snowshoe softballer, Christmas caroler, garden tour organizer, Polebridge 4th of July parade participant… and on and on.
So when you see Debo, offer your congratulations and ask her how you can help. She would make an absolutely great Representative for both the North Fork and Flathead County.
Although it’s not news for the folks who are living on the North Fork right now, we’ve been getting reports that it’s snowing again. This has all the hallmarks of being a long and snowy winter! Here’s a photo from Debo…
Join us for a presentation by Author John Fraley on the true adventures of people who earned their livings in the wild mountains and rivers of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier Park during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Fraley is the author of “Rangers, Trappers, and Trailblazers”, “Wild River Pioneers”, and “A Woman’s Way West”, and is retired from a 40-year career with the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Sondreson Hall, 7pm, Sunday, Oct 13th. Bring a snack to share if you can. The last general meeting of the NFLA will follow at 8pm, and canned goods for the Veterans Food Pantry will be collectedthere.
The public will encounter Forest Service employees conducting interviews in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along forest service roads. They will be out in all types of weather conditions, wearing bright orange vests and be near a sign that says “Traffic Survey Ahead”.
The National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) survey is being conducted on the Flathead National Forest from October 2019 through Sept. 30, 2020. The information gathered is useful for forest planning as well as local community tourism planning. It provides National Forest managers with an estimate of how many people actually recreate on the National Forest, what activities they engage in while there and how satisfied people were with their visit. Economic impact to the local economy is also captured in the survey. Continue reading →
Electric bicycles (e-bikes) have grown in popularity for both recreational use and hunting on public lands and are currently welcome on more than 52,000 miles of roads and 7,700 miles of trails throughout the Northern Region’s nine National Forests and Dakota Prairie Grasslands where motorized vehicle travel is authorized.
The Flathead National Forest currently has 1,427 miles of road and 226 miles of trails available for e-bike use.
The USDA Forest Service considers e-bikes as motorized vehicles and therefore does not allow their use on non-motorized National Forest System roads and trails.
The Service encourages e-bike riders to consult their local National Forest or Grassland’s Motor Vehicle Use Map to ensure they’re riding on an approved, motorized use road or trail, and to exercise caution when traveling among other motor vehicles.
The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.
The Forest Service’s Northern Region includes nine National Forests and 1.2 million acres of National Grasslands in North and South Dakota. These public lands provide timber for people, forage for cattle and wildlife, habitat for fish, plants, and animals, and some of the best recreational opportunities in the country.
Boy, the wind outside is freezing, and they are forecasting snow for the weekend !! What happened to Fall? But just in case you weren’t at Wernicks on the 11th, I am sorry to have to let you know that there will not be any more Markets this year. It was a GREAT season, and we are so thankful that Jerry and Linda (and Curtis) shared their gardens with all of us. Thank you for supporting them, and helping to make it such a popular neighborhood gathering!
-Red Meadow Fire is approximately 10 acres. Most of the growth was 9/5-6. Since Friday the area has received over 1’’ of rain. The attached picture was taken yesterday, not much fire activity.
-Red Meadow #2 Fire – NO ACTIVITY or growth.
This will be the last update unless something drastically changes.
7:00 AM Friday – Here’s a report from Bill Walker…
Aerial reconnaissance spotted a second Red Meadow Fire yesterday. That blaze is only about 1/10 of an acre and is not presently visible from the ground. Red Meadow Fire #2 is a little under 2 miles southwest of the larger fire initially reported Wednesday. The Forest Service is continuing to monitor both fires. The wet weather expected over the next few days makes it unlikely that either fire will pose a threat.
Red meadow Road remains open. Fire information is posted at both ends of the road and, I’m told, also at the Polebridge Mercantile.
4:00PM Thursday – Here’s a report from Bill Walker…
I took a little drive this afternoon to look at the Red Meadow Fire. The Forest Service has a crew on-site keeping an eye on things (an engine and a pickup truck) and they’ve posted informational signage at both ends of Red Meadow Road. I got some photos. It looks like the fire is still just skunking around a little below the ridgetop…
8:00 AM Thursday… Molly sent along the following from Andy Huntsberger Fire Management Officer (Division 6)…
I thought I would pass this information along regarding a new start in the Red Meadow Creek drainage. It is the Red Meadow Fire. As it states below we will be monitoring/managing this fire. Due to fuel conditions, time of year and location we felt this fire was a good candidate to manage and and not suppress. The fire is currently estimated at about 2 acres.
Then Andy attached an email from Engine Captain Todd Hannan that said…
We have a new fire on the Glacier View Ranger District today. The Red Meadow Fire is burning on the upper 1/3 of the ridge that separates Moose Creek and Red Meadow Creek drainages (Lat./Long. N 48º 48.69 W 114º 26.97). The fire is currently an estimated 1 acre in size and creeping/smoldering with isolated single tree torching. We will be managing this fire, and evaluating potential road, trail, and area closures if fire growth or activity warrants.
We will be posting signs in the North Fork area tomorrow. I attached a screenshot of the map and photo of the fire taken from Thoma LO.
WildCad said that the cause of this fire was lightening.
It’s perfect weather for canning, and making jam or jelly, so don’t let the rain keep you from coming to Wernick’s Market this Wednesday, the 11th at Noon. Jerry says they will have tomatoes, cucumbers, figs, yellow squash, zucchini, fava beans, potatoes, beets, cabbage, lettuce and chard. Also, Curtis is back, so expect a surprise!
Anyone who wants extra onions or potatoes for the winter, let Jerry know and they will make arrangements to dig some just for you…he was suggesting quantities of 10# or more, I believe.
Also, they have decided to make this the LAST market of the summer, so be sure to come and let them know how much we have appreciated all their efforts! Chris
