Kootenai Complex Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape

Kootenai Complex Landscape Summary

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NATIONAL FORESTS  
Kootenai and Idaho Panhandle National Forests

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STATES
Montana and Idaho

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LANDSCAPE SIZE
1,009,424 acres

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EXPECTED FUNDING FY 2023
$8,255,800

Introduction

In April 2022, Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack designated 10 fire prone landscapes across the Western United States as initial priorities for implementing the Wildfire Crisis Strategy. This strategy outlines dramatic action that must be taken to treat hazardous fuels and reduce the risk of wildfire to communities, infrastructure, and municipal watersheds.

On the Kootenai and Idaho Panhandle National Forests, The Kootenai Complex was included in the initial landscape designation. Emphasizing the need for leveraging existing and new partnerships, this project plans to treat nearly 45,000 acres in 3 priority firesheds by 2026. Communities positively impacted by the work include: Libby, Troy, Eureka, Stryker, Fortine, and Trego, Montana.

Over time and in part due to fire suppression, fuels have increased creating conditions that promote uncharacteristic wildfire within this landscape. Overstocked forests and high hazardous fuel conditions have also had considerable adverse effects on the health and wildfire resiliency of the forests across the landscape. Furthermore, due to existing and increased private land development, conditions are conducive to threaten life and property across this landscape. Wildfire Risk to Communities indicates that Lincoln County is, on average, in the 85th percentile for risk to homes and for the likelihood of fire. It also indicates that most homes outside of city limits would be exposed to direct sources of fire, while homes in or near cities would be exposed to indirect sources.

Accomplishments in Year 1

Investments

The Kootenai Complex landscape was designated April 2022 as one of the first 10 Priority Landscapes for focused investment to implement the Wildfire Crisis Strategy. There is a strong emphasis on utilizing existing partnerships and developing new ones to continue collaborative cross-boundary fuels reduction work, reducing wildfire risk for local communities.  In FY2022, the Region received over 3 million dollars to support fuels reduction activities in critical firesheds within the landscape. The majority of this initial funding was obligated into contracts or agreements with local partners, positively impacting the economy of underserved communities in Lincoln County. Montana DNRC entered into a BIL specific GNA agreement to build capacity and accomplish the full spectrum fuels reduction across boundaries within the landscape. An agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers focuses on reducing wildfire risk to the Libby superfund site. The Couer d’alene nursery received funding for production of native plant species to be used in future restoration projects.

Outcomes

Over 8,000 acres of fuels reduction work was completed in FY2022. Of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded treatments, approximately 900 acres in the Kootenai Complex were treated in FY2022, with over half of the work done by local contractors and the rest was completed by Forest Service personnel. FY2023 funds are being utilized for critical infrastructure improvements to facilitate current and future fuels reduction. Road maintenance and improvement provides ingress and egress for fire personnel and the public. More than 5500 acres of fuels reduction will be implemented in FY2023 with over 75% of the work being accomplished through contracts or agreements with local partners. In addition, multiple new planning projects were initiated to continue focusing wildfire risk reduction efforts within the Kootenai Complex landscape (Kootenai National Forest - Projects). One of which the Montana DNRC will utilize the new Categorical Exclusion authorized in BIL for linear feature fuel breaks for a project on National Forest managed lands in the Kootenai Complex landscape.