Complexes. However, these fires likely created sizable acreages of 

 suitable black-backed woodpecker habitat. The Mineral Primm Complex 

 is located largely within the Rattlesnake Wilderness area. Those portions 

 of this fire occurring in the wilderness area will remain unharvested. The 

 Boles Meadow Fire occurred largely on USPS and Plum Creek lands, with 

 potential black-backed woodpecker habitat on USPS lands. Table 3-6 

 provides estimates of the acres burned and stand replacement acres created 

 in each fire. 



Table 3-6:. Estimates of acres burned and stand replacement severity 

 acres for the Fish Creek Complex and seven fires within 70 miles of the 

 project area. 



3.2.3.2.3 Flammulated Owl 



The flammulated owl is a tiny forest owl that inhabits warm-dry 

 ponderosa pine and cool-dry Douglas-fir forests in the western United 

 States and is a secondary cavity nester. Nest trees in 2 Oregon studies 

 were 22-28 inches dbh (McCallum 1994). Habitats used have open to 

 moderate canopy closure (30 to 50%) with at least 2 canopy layers, and 

 are often adjacent to small clearings. It subsists primarily on insects and is 

 considered a sensitive species in Montana. Periodic underbums may 

 contribute to increasing habitat suitability for flammulated owls because 

 low intensity fires would reduce understory density of seedlings and 

 saplings, while periodically stimulating shrub growth. 



Within lands affected by the Fish Creek Complex, there are approximately 

 12,217 acres of flammulated owl preferred habitat types, with 2,496 acres 

 on School Trust lands and 9,721 acres on USPS lands (SLI data). Within 

 the proposed salvage area, there are approximately 1,578 acres of 

 flammulated owl preferred habitat types, 457 acres of which were burned 

 in a high intensity, stand replacing fire. 



3.2.3.2.4 Fisher 



The fisher is a medium-sized animal belonging to the weasel family. 

 Fishers prefer dense, lowland spruce-fir forests with high canopy closure. 



Fish Creek Salvage Environmental Assessment 



3-21 



