The grant from Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Solid Waste Management Program will focus on cleaning up Mark Twain National Forest around Ripley, Shannon and Carter Counties.

Image from www.zmescience.com

Raben Tire, Poplar Bluff, has partnered with Mark Twain National Forest and Missouri Department of Natural Resources and will be handling the collected tires for recycling.

Missouri citizens generate an estimated five million scrap tires a year; many wind up discarded on public lands.

Mark Twain National Forest Eleven Point District Ranger Tim Bond said, “Scrap tires harbor mosquitoes and snakes. Many disease carrying pests flourish in the stagnant water that collects inside tires.”

Chief culprits are mosquitoes that can carry deadly diseases such as the West Nile virus and encephalitis.

“One of our organization’s objectives is to restore, improve, and protect the quality of the environment,” said Big Springs Resource Conservation and Development Council Manager Becky Paxton. “This is a worthwhile project because it will help reduce dumped tires on Mark Twain National Forest on three counties in our district.”

Recycled tires are used as fuel; they are also recycled into products such as rubber-modified asphalt on Missouri highways.

Permanent deer stands are prohibited. Permanent deer stands are any wooden or metal structure that has been attached or fixed to a tree and used for the purpose of hunting deer in season. Portable deer hunting tree stands are permitted to be placed on the forest two weeks before deer season.

Permanent deer stands are treated as unauthorized structures and are subject to removal under 36 CFR 261.10A. Use of screw-in steps, screws or nails, and any material that would damage trees is also prohibited.

Photo from hoveysmith.wordpress.com

When using temporary portable deer stands on Mark Twain National Forest, the temporary portable deer stand must have the full name, address, and telephone number of the user. Stands without identifying information are not authorized, and can be impounded by law enforcement personnel.

If you have questions concerning Mark Twain National Forest’s deer stand policy, please contact Toby Barton, Poplar Bluff Ranger District law enforcement officer; 1420 Maud Street, Poplar Bluff, MO, or by phone at (573) 785-1475 or Sam Beaty, Eleven Point Ranger District law enforcement officer; #4 Confederate Ridge Road, Doniphan MO, or by phone at (573) 996-2153.

· National Public Lands Day: September 29, 2012, with free camping Sept 28 and 29, 2012, and free day use Sept 29 and 30, 2012.

· Veterans Day Weekend November 10-12, 2012, with free camping on Nov 10 and 11, 2012 and free day use all 3 days.

There will be a lot more recreation areas open and participating in the free use during the summer, but fees will still be charged at sites operated by concessionaires.

For more information about the Mark Twain National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf or contact your local Mark Twain National Forest office.

SALEM, Mo. – Mark Twain National Forest firefighters continue to patrol and check the 5,000 acre Minninghaw wild fire near Salem, Missouri.

Mark Twain National Forest Fire Management Officer Jody Eberly said rain expected over the next two days should result in totally containing Minninghaw wild fire by Wednesday, November 9, 2011.

“By containment, I mean the likelihood of the wild fire moving across the fire containment lines will be low,” Eberly said.

Firefighters quenching Minninghaw flames. USFS photo.

Two contract firefighting crews from Asheville, North Carolina are going home November 7, 2011. They arrived November 3, 2011 to supplement Mark Twain National Forest firefighting crews.

The Minninghaw Fire, 5,025 acres in size, started November 1, 2011. It is located in southern Dent County near the Shannon County line, approximately 7 miles west of Bunker, Missouri.

Completed and ongoing timber sales since the May 2009 derecho, or inland hurricane, helped reduce wild fire fuels on Mark Twain National Forest’s wild fires near Salem, Missouri.

Since May 2009, when the wind event cut a 15 to 20-mile wide swath across Dent, Shannon and Reynolds counties continuing across to Fredericktown, Missouri, forest fuels significantly increased from an average 2 tons per acre to 50-100 tons per acre.

Map of derecho damage...

“We’ve been fortunate to work with a number of area logging operators and small lumber mills to salvage the downed wood where we can get to it,” said Mark Twain National Forest District Ranger Thom Haines. “Even with ongoing and planned future timber sales, there’s still a lot of downed wood.”

From May 2009 to November 2011, Mark Twain National Forest’s Salem Ranger District completed 12 roadside salvage projects totaling approximately 4,100 acres, with another 2,100 acres through regular salvage sales. That’s twice the district’s annual average.

“Our primary focus has been public and firefighting safety,” Haines said. “We planned timber sales within 300 feet of roadways, which provided the public with safe roads to get to their property within Mark Twain National Forest. The 300-feet timber sale areas also created breaks to help prevent fire spreading.”

Approximately half of Mark Twain National Forest’s property boundaries include private land owners.

“It’s difficult to fight fires in derecho-damaged areas,” Haines said. “There are so many large trees on and suspended above the ground that our equipment cannot get through to build fire lines. It is also extremely unsafe for our firefighters.”

Haines said several more salvage sales are planned through 2013 to remove downed wood.

Several USDA Forest Service crews and forest partners also worked for months after the May 2009 derecho clearing Forest system roads, developed recreation areas and established trails to ensure the public’s safety, including hiking, horse-back riding and ATV trails.

Mark Twain National Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest.

Forest Service sent this inset map today:

Location of Ozark wildfires. Graphic courtesy Mark Twain National Forest

The Forest Service believes these fires are the result of arson, and they are looking for the people who set them. Rumor around Salem (heard from three different sources, but still rumor) is that at least one, and possibly two of the fires were set in retaliation over hunting leases or denied hunting rights.

Without further adieu, here are the last two day’s fire news releases. I apologize for their tardiness. – Jo

Mark Twain dispatch from November 4:

SALEM, Mo. – Rainfall November 3, 2011 is helping firefighters contain several suspected arson fires on Mark Twain National Forest lands near Salem, Missouri on Salem Ranger District.

About ½ inch of rain November 3, 2011 fell in the vicinity of the fires, increasing leaf fall. National Weather Service forecasts show a drying trend over the weekend.

“Heavy fuels can contribute to increased intensity and extreme fire behavior, especially on days like we experienced earlier this week,” said Mark Twain National Forest Salem District Ranger Thom Haines. “We’re carefully monitoring conditions to make sure wild fires stay in their containment areas.”

The largest wild fire, the Minninghaw Fire, estimated at 5,000 acres in size, started November 1, 2011. It is located in southern Dent County near the Shannon County line, approximately 7 miles west of Bunker, Missouri. It is burning in heavy fuels created by the May 2009 Derecho wind event.

As of 10:30 am Thursday, November 3, 2011, a fire line had been established around the entire fire perimeter.

Salem Ranger District had two other suspected arson wild fires on November 2, 2011; one wild fire was 5 acres, and a second wild fire approximately 310 acres in size. Both have containment lines established around them.

Two twenty-person hand crews, one from North Carolina and a second from Georgia, arrived November 3, 2011 and reported to Salem this morning. These resources will provide Mark Twain National Forest additional help and afford rotation of firefighters who have been fighting the wildfires since mid-afternoon Tuesday, November 1, 2011.

Currently, there are more than 50 firefighters, three bulldozers and four engines assigned to the wild fires.

No homes are immediately threatened.

Additional law enforcement personnel are assigned to patrol and investigate the wild fires.

“We really need the help of the public. If anyone has any information on who set these fires, please let us know,” Haines said.

News from November 5:

SALEM, Mo. –Firefighters continue to improve containment lines around two large wild fires on Mark Twain National Forest lands near Salem, Missouri on the Salem Ranger District. These wild fires are burning in heavy fuels created by the May 2009 Derecho wind event.

Two 20-person crews brought in from outside Missouri, along with Mark Twain National Forest firefighters, are using chainsaws to cut, lop and scatter limbs and downed trees along a 60-foot wide path on the side of the containment lines where wild fires are burning.

“The purpose of this work is to reduce fuels adjacent to containment lines that were completed on Thursday morning, November 3, 2011, around the two large fires,” said Mark Twain National Forest Salem District Ranger Thom Haines. “We will continue to improve these containment lines over the next several days to help make sure these wild fires stay within these lines.”

The largest wild fire, the Minninghaw Fire, 5,025 acres in size, started November 1, 2011. It is located in southern Dent County near the Shannon County line, approximately 7 miles west of Bunker, Missouri. Approximately 25 firefighters are working this wild fire.

The second wild fire, the West Fork Fire, 280 acres in size, started November 2, 2011. It is located approximately 3 miles northwest of Centerville, Missouri in Reynolds County, just north of the West Fork of the Black River. Approximately 25 firefighters are working this wild fire.

A third wild fire, the Substation Fire, just less than 6 acres in size, has been contained. This wild fire will continue to be patrolled and monitored by firefighting personnel.

Currently, there are more than 50 firefighters, three bulldozers and four engines assigned to the wild fires.

No homes are immediately threatened.

The National Weather Service forecasts partly sunny and drier over the weekend, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 50s. The next chance of rain is Monday.

Additional law enforcement personnel are assigned to patrol and investigate the suspected arson fires.

“We really need the help of the public in finding out who set these arson fires. If anyone has any information on who set these fires, please contact us,” Haines said.

To report information, contact Mark Twain National Forest Salem Ranger District Office at 573-729-6656 or the toll free arson hotline at 1-800-392-1111.

For more information about the Minninghaw and West Fork Fires and Mark Twain National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf

“The Minninghaw wild fire on the Salem Ranger District, at almost 5,000 acres, is possibly the largest documented fire in Mark Twain history,” Mark Twain Fire Management officer Jody Eberly said.

Additional firefighting crews and other resources are being called in to help hold a 5,000-acre wild fire in Salem, Missouri area that started November 1, 2011.

As of 10:30 am Thursday, November 3, 2011, a fire line had been established around the entire fire perimeter.

The wildfire was originally three separate fires that have merged. The Minninghaw fire is located on Mark Twain National Forest’s Salem Ranger District, in southern Dent County near the Shannon County line, approximately 7 miles west of Bunker, Missouri.

Two twenty-person hand crews, one from North Carolina and a second from Georgia, are expected to arrive late November 3, 2011. These resources will provide Mark Twain national Forest additional help and rotate firefighters who have been fighting the wildfire since mid-afternoon Tuesday, November 1, 2011.

Currently, there are more than 40 firefighters, five bulldozers and four engines assigned to the wildfire; most are from Mark Twain National Forest. This includes one 7-person firefighting crew from Mingo Job Corps center in Puxico, Missouri.

The wildfire is burning in heavy fuels created from the May 2009 Derecho wind event.

“These heavy fuels are contributing to increased intensity and extreme fire behavior, especially on a day like November 2, 2011, when moderate to high winds and low relative humidity pushed the fire across containment lines on the west,” said Salem District Ranger Thom Haines. “Firefighters were able to contain the spot fire to around 100 acres. “

At present, no homes are immediately threatened. However, the wildfire has burned some private lands. Nearby neighbors of the Forest have been notified of the situation, said Mark Twain National Forest Salem District Ranger Haines.

Rainfall received overnight has helped suppression. However, predicted weather for the next few days shows a drying trend, and the wildfire is expected to become active again within the next few days.

Arson is the suspected cause of the wild fires.

“Additional law enforcement personnel have been assigned to patrol and investigate the wild fires,” Haines said. “If anyone has any information on who set these fires, please let us know.”

To report information, contact Mark Twain National Forest Salem Ranger District Office at 573-729-6656 or the toll free arson hotline at 1-800-392-1111.

Salem Ranger District had two other suspected arson wild fires yesterday; one wild fire was 5 acres, and a second wild fire approximately 310 acres in size. Two wildland fire engines and two dozers were assigned to the larger West Fork Fire.

“Firefighters were able to establish containment lines around these wildfires,” Haines said. “Personnel assigned to the larger fire conducted burnout operations last night to further secure containment lines.”

For more information about the Minninghaw Fire and Mark Twain National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf

Mark Twain National Forest’s 10-year wild fire average is 5,000-6,000 acres per year. Wild fires range in size from less than an acre to several thousand acres. Average wild fire size is about 60 acres.

Most wildfires are contained within one day.

“Most wild fires on Mark Twain National Forest are human-caused,” said Mark Twain National Forest Fire Management Officer Jody Eberly. “Arson and escaped debris burning are the primary causes; wild fires have also resulted from equipment use, trains, careless smoking, and escaped campfires. “

Lightning is a minor cause of Mark Twain National Forest wild fires, with only 1-2 fires per year, if any.

Mark Twain National Forest has about 80 wild land firefighters, 6 fire engines and 10 bulldozers as the forest’s primary firefighting force. This includes 30 professional fire managers on the Forest, who are trained and experienced in wild land fire suppression. Mark Twain firefighters are dispatched to wildfires and other all-hazard incidents across the country, and have even assisted with international fire suppression and emergency incident response.

According to Thom Haines, Mark Twain National Forest Salem District ranger, a total of more than 5,000 acres were burned November 1, 2011.

“If anyone knows who set these fires, please let us know,” Haines said. Contact Mark Twain National Forest Salem Ranger District Office at 573-729-6656 or the toll free arson hotline at 1-800-392-1111.

At present, no homes are immediately threatened.

The fire has spread to some private lands. Nearby neighbors of the Forest have been notified of the situation.
At approximately 2:00 pm Tuesday November 1, 2011, several smokes were sighted on and over Mark Twain National Forest’s Salem Ranger District. By 4:00 pm November 1, 2011, three active fires were located in southern Dent County near the Shannon County line. The fires have combined and there is now one fire.

Thirty-five firefighters, 5 dozers and 4 engines are currently assigned to the fire.

Mark Twain National Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest. For more information about Mark Twain National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf

File Photo from Camp Willow CCC Facebook Page by Alex Biehl

After coordinating with Missouri Departments of Natural Resources and Conservation, Mark Twain National Forest has decided to leave the dam gate open, leaving the lake bed dry except for the perennial stream portion, until spring 2012.
This will allow cold weather to kill undesirable vegetation within Noblett Lake.

Vandals August 17, 2011 accessed Noblett Lake’s dam and opened the gate, allowing Noblett Lake water to flow into surrounding streams. The 70-year Civilian Conservation Corps-built lake has been filling in with sediment and vegetation over the years.

“The water loss presented a unique opportunity to consider restoration of the lake as a fishery, or return the area to its natural condition,” said Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs District Ranger Jenny Farenbaugh.

Once undesirable vegetation has been eliminated, the dam gate will slowly be closed spring 2012 during a period when precipitation is expected in order to minimize stream drying and potential fish kills.

“The lake will refill over a period of weeks, depending on the amount of precipitation and spring discharge,” Farenbaugh said.
“Although we know residents want to know if and when Noblett Lake will be re-stocked, we are working with Missouri Department of Conservation to determine the feasibility of restocking.”

Farenbaugh said Mark Twain National Forest is also working with partners on the restoration project.

“Opportunities to partner with state, Federal and non-governmental organizations for a project of this magnitude abound and are being explored,” Farenbaugh said.

Law enforcement investigators continue their investigation into the vandalism that resulted in water loss at Noblett Lake, located south of Willow Springs, Missouri in Douglas County.

If someone has information about the August 17, 2011 Noblett Lake incident, please contact 417-683-4428 ext. 199.
(US Forest Service news release.)

One of the most remote areas of Missouri is Douglas County. Just to the west of Willow Springs, one tier up from the more touristy Ozark County along the North Fork just before it runs into the White River, Douglas County is hilly, forested, and remote.

This area isn’t a tourist destination. It makes Shannon and Carter counties look quite civilized. That’s mostly why I was there.

The Blue Buck National Forest Scenic Byway consists of Missouri Highway 181, a portion of Missouri 76 where it runs contiguous with 181, and County Road AP. Jo drove part of this on Friday, and stopped to admire the fall foliage at Indian Creek Lookout, a roadside pull off of this windy ridge road through the Mark Twain National Forest.

After the oohs and ahhs, I took a moment to glance at the overlook sign, and saw, in addition to the familiar USFS shield, a posting from the paw of Smokey.

Here’s the text close up:

No, black type on brown isn’t the most readable, even in person. But you get the idea.

Missouri is now officially Bear Country. Even Smokey says so.

The ten proposed areas are:

• Big Bay Campground on Table Rock Lake;
• Cobb Ridge Campground in Chadwick Motorcycle and ATV area, Christian County;
• Greer Crossing Campground near Highway 19 and Eleven Point National Scenic River;
• Lane Spring, off of Hwy 63 south of Rolla;
• Loggers Lake near Bunker; Markham Springs near Ellsinore;
• North Fork Campground on the North Fork of the White River near West Plains;
• Sinking Creek Cabin at the base of a historic fire tower in Carter County;
• Sutton Bluff Campground in the Sutton Bluff Motorcycle and ATV Area in Reynolds County;
• and Watercress Campground, on the Current River in Van Buren.

Most of the sites are located along rivers or lakes, and many include picnic areas, boat launches, or other day use sites as well as the campground.

Campground concessionaires are encouraged to provide additional goods and services such as firewood and soda sales, and boat or camp trailer or tent rentals as a way to increase their income and to better serve campers.

Some of these national forest recreation sites have been operated and maintained by concessionaires with positive results several years ago. One of them is currently under concession.

“Concessionaire campground managers that have the responsibility for one or two campgrounds spend more time in the campgrounds, are more available to campers, and are able to offer more goods and services than Forest Service employees can,” Whittekiend said. “This is an opportunity to team up with private individuals or companies to provide quality recreation settings.”

Under the terms of the prospectus available from the Forest Supervisors Office in Rolla, Missouri, potential concessionaires can apply to operate and maintain one or more of the ten recreation sites.

Selected applicants will be authorized to collect camping and day use fees from recreationists and, in return, will maintain campsites and other facilities, including but not limited to maintenance and cleaning of toilets, trash collection, mowing, cleaning campsites and making minor improvements to keep the area safe for users.

In return, campground concessionaires would pay the government a small percentage of fees collected.
Selection will be based upon the technical merit of proposals.

“This prospectus is shorter and requires less detail than previous applications,” said Mark Twain National Forest Recreation Manager Nancy Feakes. “Forest employees will be available to show those who are interested the recreation areas, and will be able to assist them in completing their proposal.”

Anyone interested in being a Mark Twain National Forest campground concessionaire needs to summit proposals by close of business December 1, 2011 and be available to start operating on site no later than May 1, 2012.

The final selection of successful applicants should be made by December 15, 2011.

Copies of the prospectus are available in a link from the feature article on the website at www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf/, by writing Forest Supervisor, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla, MO 65401 573-364-4621 or by contacting the nearest Mark Twain National Forest District Ranger Office.
(USFS news release).