(Kalispell, MT, November 10, 2026) — The Flathead National Forest announced today that the Tally Lake Ranger District has released the proposed action for the Skillet Fire Salvage Project, a post-fire recovery effort designed to help restore forest health, reduce future fuel hazards, and recover economic value from fire-damaged timber to support local communities following the 2026 Skillet Fire.
The Skillet Fire started from a lightning strike in July 2026 and burned approximately 3,410 acres of National Forest System lands near Olney, Montana. The fire affected large areas of commercially valuable forest and burned through areas that had already experienced significant damage from windstorms in the winter of 2025 of 2026.
The proposed project would include approximately 1,537 acres of salvage harvest activities and 5.1 miles of temporary road construction to support implementation. The project is designed to accelerate forest recovery, prepare sites for reforestation, and reduce hazardous fuel accumulations while producing timber to support jobs and income in the Flathead Valley. “This project is focused on helping the landscape recover from the Skillet Fire while providing economic benefits to local communities that depend on forest products from our National Forest lands,” said Tally Lake District Ranger Bill Mulholland.
The project is being analyzed under the Forest Service’s National Post-Fire Recovery Environmental Assessment and will use emergency authorities under the Secretary of Agriculture’s Fuels and Forest Health Emergency Action Determination (EAD). Projects authorized under the EAD are not subject to the administrative review (objection) process at 36 CFR 218.
The Forest Service invites interested parties to review the proposed action and provide comments. Public input will help the agency consider local knowledge, identify potential concerns, and refine project design where appropriate. Comments will be most helpful if received by November 25, 2026. The Forest Service anticipates making the final decision available for public review in December 2026.
The Skillet Fire Salvage project proposal, maps, and other supporting documents are available on the project webpage. Comments can be submitted electronically or hand-delivered/mailed to the Tally Lake District office at 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 59901.
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology—and rooted in communities—the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with Tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.
Source: US Forest Service
Photo: Pixabay
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