- 181 - 



Fire Hazard Reduction or Management Law 

 (Section 28/403.1-408, 410-415, R.C.M. 1947) 



Montana's Fire Hazard Reduction Law was enacted with the intention of 

 reducing or managing forest fire fuels resulting from the harvesting or 

 thinning of timber, timber stand improvement, or timber clearance from 

 right-of-ways (powerlines, pipelines, roads). It is applicable to such 

 activities on private lands within the state and requires that the person 

 conducting the activity enter into an agreement with the DNR&C (Forestry 

 Division) regarding a program of fire hazard reduction or management. 

 The law also requires the person to post a bond to be held by the state 

 until the terms of the agreement are met. 



The State Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service follow similar 

 programs when developing timber sales on state and federal lands, res- 

 pectively. Contracts include arrangement for fire hazard reduction or 

 management, as well as bonding. 



Although this law does not deal directly with stream water quality, certain 

 aspects may have either positive or negative influences upon water quality. 

 Slash disposal methods vary with regard to piling, burning, etc. Currently, 

 the Division of Forestry does not prescribe slash disposal methods for 

 particular sites, but provides a list of recommended methods. This pro- 

 cedure does not prevent piling of slash in streams, dozer piling on 

 steep slopes or unstable soils, broadcast burning in sensitive areas, or 

 other disposal activities that may negatively impact water quality. If 

 fire hazard reduction methods were applied with due consideration of the 

 physical nature of the site and protection of stream water quality (refer 



