The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest has signed a final decision authorizing a forestwide prescribed fire project, according to an announcement from the U.S. Forest Service's Region 1 office. The decision clears the way for land managers to conduct planned burns across the forest, which covers more than 2.9 million acres spanning portions of Lewis and Clark, Jefferson, Broadwater, Meagher, Cascade, Teton, and Powell counties.

Prescribed fire is used by the Forest Service to reduce the buildup of brush and dead timber that can fuel large wildfires, restore fire-dependent ecosystems, and improve habitat for wildlife. The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest borders Helena on multiple sides and includes significant wildland-urban interface areas where uncontrolled fire poses direct risk to homes and infrastructure.

Full details of the decision, including which specific units of the forest are included in the project and what conditions must be met before burns are conducted, were available through the Forest Service's regional newsroom. Residents who live near or recreate in the national forest can contact the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest supervisor's office for specifics on how and when burns may occur near their area.