ABOUT US:
The Charles M. Russell NWR (CMR), located in the northeast quarter of Montana, encompasses nearly 1.1 million acres of land and water, and stretches 125 miles from the Fort Peck Dam west along the Missouri River. The refuge headquarters are located in the town of Lewistown, MT. The CMR has three field stations: Fort Peck, Jordan, and Sand Creek. Fort Peck field station is located in the town of Fort Peck, MT and is located within 1 mile of the refuge boundary. Jordan field station is located in the town of Jordan, MT. Jordan sits roughly 35 miles south of the refuge. Sand Creek field station is the only station located on the refuge, and lies on the western most part of the CMR. Sand Creek also is the only field station with no amenities on or around the station. The closest amenities (gas, food, ect) from Sand Creek are located in the town of Roy, MT which is approximately 25 miles southwest of the field station. Seasonal firefighting positions are located at each of the field stations, along with a seasonal fire dispatcher position located in Lewistown.
PRESCRIBED FIRE:
The CMR refuge uses prescribed fire in two main management areas- Habitat restoration and maintenance, and hazardous fuels reduction. Resource management prescribed burning is used to restore, create, and/or maintain a diversity of plant communities in order to restore and perpetuate native plant and wildlife species. Hazardous fuels reduction burning alone or in combination with mechanical and/or chemical means are occasionally done to reduce the risk of damage from wildfire to refuge developments, private in holdings, sensitive resources, and private and state lands outside of the CMR boundary.
WlLDLAND FIRE:
In recent years, wildland fire on the CMR has become somewhat of a rollercoaster ride. From 1992 to 2002 the refuge experienced almost normal fire seasons where the refuge would average roughly 13 wildfires a year that would burn roughly 4000 acres of land in the Missouri Breaks. However, recently the fire seasons have become more and more unpredictable as was the case in 2006 when the refuge burned over 80,000 acres of land just on the refuge alone. 2008 was a season where wildland fire on and around the refuge was somewhat slow and uneventful with less then 10 new fires and less than 1000 acres burned. It is impossible to say what will happen in 2009 or beyond with wildland fire at the Charles M. Russell NWR. However, if the refuge continues to receive prolonged drought and fairly dry winters, conditions will be high to extreme for wildland fires in the years to come.
