|
|
| |
Fire and smoke.
Whether from a wildfire, agricultural burn, or a prescribed burn designed to reduce wildfire risk, protect ecosystems or improve wildlife habitat, smoke will affect most of us at some point during the year.
The Smoke Monitoring Unit, at the Aerial Fire Depot in Missoula, coordinates efforts to manage smoke during both wildfire season and prescribed burning seasons. Through their commitment to clean air, a number of contributors make the smoke management program work. They include industry and state, local and federal agencies in Idaho and Montana.
Prescribed burning in forested areas.
Prescribed burning in forested areas is a useful management tool employed by land managers. In 1978, federal, state and local government agencies and the forest products industry formed the Montana State Airshed Group. Their purpose was to manage and limit the impacts of smoke generated from necessary prescribed burning. In 1990, agencies and companies in North Idaho joined the Montana group on an operational basis to accomplish the same purposes. In 1998, agencies and private industry in South Idaho joined the Montana and North Idaho groups, completing the Montana/Idaho Airshed Group smoke management program. |
|
