New wildfire reduction plan prioritizes Elkhorns

As the U.S. Forest Service faces extraordinary tumult, its Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest is set to launch a new, 20-year prescribed fire plan that would nearly triple the acreage burned or cut back each year and dramatically change its approach to land management.

The proposed Forest-wide Prescribed Fire Project aims to increase safety, give forest managers more flexibility to determine which at-risk areas are treated, and curb wildfire severity by reducing potential sources of fuel.

“There is such a known need for more fuel reduction work to reduce risk,” said Emily Platt, the forest’s supervisor, who led the plan’s development over two years and will supervise its implementation. “There’s no question about its effectiveness. We know if we do it right, it will change the way fire happens.”