FWP, personal communication, September 2003). Given the lack of 

 recent bear activity in the area, grizzly bear activity has been noted 

 approximately 14 miles east of the project area in the last couple of 

 years, as well as recent and rapid expansion of grizzly bear populations 

 in the nearby Blackfoot River Valley. With approximately 65% 

 (47,140 acres) of the 73,092 acre analysis area occurring in 

 regenerating clearcuts, seed tree/shelterwood harvests, and stand 

 replacement fire, the amount of shrub and berry production over the 

 next 20 years would likely attract gnzzly bears because of the 

 abundant food sources. However, the analysis area's open road 

 density of approximately 2.59 miles of open road per square mile 

 (simple linear calculation) would likely increase with the 1.5 miles of 

 proposed road construction under the Dirty Ike Road project. With no 

 action, the burned areas would gradually become revegetated and 

 provide hiding cover for bears that might occupy the area in the future. 

 Thus, there would be low risk of cumulative effects to grizzly bears as 

 a result of this alternative, largely due to the absence of grizzly bear 

 activity in the analysis area at this time. 



4.3.3.1.1.3 Alternative B: Harvest 



The proposed action would harvest fire-killed timber from the Dirty 

 Ike fire on approximately 204 acres of School Trust lands in section 6, 

 T 12 N, R 16 W, and section 12, T 12 N, R 17 W. Because the Dirty 

 Ike fire produced a mosaic of stand replacement and mixed severity 

 fire in the area, as well as likely producing heat-stress to vegetation in 

 the vicinity of the fire, bark beetles (Family: Scolytidae) and wood 

 borers will be attracted to the area. Since 1999, 4 species of bark 

 beetle and a fir engraver have been present within a 5-mile radius of 

 the Dirty Ike fire (Figure 4-1), and would likely colonize the affected 

 area. Thus, salvage of future insect damaged trees would be possible. 



Dirty Ike Salvage Environmental Assessment 4-10 



