Prescribed Fire Training Exchange Scheduled for Blackfoot Valley
GREENOUGH, Mont. — The second Blackfoot Valley Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) will take place April 21 through May 1 at Lubrecht Experimental Forest near Greenough. The event will bring together more than 40 participants and organizers for hands-on training in prescribed fire operations.
The training is designed to build local capacity and strengthen skills in prescribed fire management. Over the course of the event, participants will engage in a range of training activities focused on prescribed fire implementation. Burn operations will occur only when weather and site conditions are appropriate, and specific locations and timing will vary accordingly.
When conditions are not suitable for burning, participants will take part in classroom and field-based instruction covering topics such as fire science, local ecology, fire equipment operation and medical incident response.
Prescribed fire is a critical land management tool used to reduce excess vegetative fuel, improve ecosystem health, and lower the risk of large, high-severity wildfires. Many landscapes in western Montana evolved with fire, and the careful reintroduction of fire under controlled conditions helps restore natural processes while protecting communities and natural resources.
All participants meet national qualifications for wildland fire personnel. The Incident Management Team overseeing the event has coordinated extensively with local agencies, nonprofit organizations, fire departments, Tribal partners, and private contractors to ensure safe and effective operations.
Residents in the Blackfoot Valley may see smoke during prescribed fire operations. However, significant air quality impacts are not expected. Those with concerns about smoke can find current air quality information at: todaysair.mtdeq.us
The Blackfoot Valley TREX is made possible by a partnership between The Blackfoot Challenge, The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, The Fire Learning Network, and participants and partners throughout the state.
Community members are encouraged to follow updates from the Blackfoot Challenge on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/blackfootchallenge/ and Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/blackfootchallenge/.
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About DNRC:
DNRC’s mission is to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations. For more information visit dnrc.mt.gov.
About Blackfoot Challenge:
The Blackfoot Challenge follows a collaborative approach to solving complex issues at the intersection of natural resources and rural livelihoods. Learn more at www.blackfootchallenge.org [blackfootchallenge.org].
About Fire Learning Network (FLN):
The FLN provides resources, training, and connections to peer learning to leaders of place-based collaboratives working across the nation. Learn more at firenetworks.org/fln [firenetworks.org]
About The Nature Conservancy (TNC):
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. For more news, visit their newsroom [nature.org] or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn [linkedin.com].
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