Prescribed burning planned this spring

The Missoula County Wildfire Mitigation Program will be conducting prescribed slash pile burning at Marshall Mountain Park (MMP) when conditions allow this spring. All prescribed burning will be on the west side of the park property, uphill of the main parking area. No closures planned for the MMP base area or trail system.

Piles will be burned between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. as allowed per local ordinance. Smoke may be visible from the valley floor. Piles will only be burned when airshed conditions allow for smoke to ventilate outside of the Missoula Valley and when there is significant moisture to limit fire spread away from piles. Burning will follow all Missoula County and Missoula Public Health regulations on prescribed wildland burning.

This project will burn slash created by recent forest thinning treatments, which reduces fuels after treatments are completed. This process can reduce the intensity and likelihood of future wildfire. All burned piles will be reseeded with native plants to support site restoration and compete with invasive weeds.

Recent forestry improvements at MMP are possible thanks to a Forest Action Plan grant from the Montana DNRC, a generous contribution from Friends of Marshall Mountain, and the time and expertise of Missoula County Wildfire Mitigation Program staff.