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Forest will start salvage logging Skillet Fire burn this winter
Flathead National Forest will salvage log nearly half of the 3,414 acres that burned in the Skillet Fire this summer. Dead and fire-damaged trees will be removed from 1,537 acres near the headwaters of Robertson, Alder and Corduroy creeks, about 15 miles west of Olney. Much of the salvage will be paired with planting and other activities that aim to quickly regenerate mature forest conditions. Five miles of temporary roads will be constructed to access burned areas. The project will likely kick off in December, pending final approval, and continue for up to three years. "There is a need to recover the potential value of forest products in a timely manner from stands that were substantially affected by the Skillet Fire," officials wrote in a proposed action document published Nov. 10. The document also indicated a need to promptly "reestablish forest conditions to improve diversity and resiliency with a focus on future timber productivity and fuels management objectives." Officials anticipate approving the project under an Emergency Action Determination introduced by the Trump administration last year. It allows federal agencies to forgo the usual public objection process when issuing a decision. The project will also use a nationwide post-fire recovery environmental