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It's Just Too Dry. Plum Creek Restricts Land Use Activities

USDA

Fire danger has prompted Plum Creek Timber Company to restrict some activities on all its western Montana properties until further notice.

Plum Creek Vice President Tom Ray says the company isn't allowing any camping, campfires, firewood cutting, smoking, fireworks or target shooting.

"Any of those types of activities are now precluded because it's just so dry. It's just extremely dry."

Ray says the company's property is still open to the public in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Missoula, Sanders and Ravalli counties, but only to activities such as fishing and limited hunting.

Much beyond that is off limits for the time being.
Lightning has already sparked about a dozen wildfires on Plum Creek land this year. Ray credits fast initial attack to limiting the damage to only about 320 burned acres so far.

Anyone caught violating the newly-enacted Stage II restrictions on Plum Creek land can be cited by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. But according to Ray, it could also prove to be an expensive mistake.

"If they were to start a fire they could be charged and have to pay restitution. Obviously the cost of fighting these fires is huge as you see in some of these cases."

Ray says the only thing that will rescind this land use restriction on Plum Creek land is prolonged damp weather.
And there's precious little of that in the long-term forecast.
 

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
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