The Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance (GTMA) and National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) submitted detailed comments today in regard to the Glacier National Park Fire Management Plan. We supported updating the outdated 2003 Fire Management Plan to address changing climate and fire regimen, but recommended a shift from the current focus on suppressing 95% of fire starts toward allowing more naturally occurring fires to burn when safe, expanding prescribed burning beyond the current 100-500 acres annually, and incorporating traditional ecological knowledge and Indigenous cultural burning practices.

While supporting targeted mechanical fuel treatments for human safety and infrastructure protection, we emphasized these should be limited in scope, prioritize hand treatments, and avoid new road construction or motorized equipment in backcountry areas. We also highlighted the importance of protecting rare ecosystems like old-growth ponderosa pine and cedar-hemlock stands, promoting whitebark pine restoration, managing invasive species risks, addressing smoke impacts, and ensuring post-fire rehabilitation aligns with the park's conservation mission.

Additional recommendations included continued collaboration with adjacent landowners, ongoing scientific monitoring and research partnerships, adaptive management approaches to respond to climate change, regular public education and engagement, careful consideration of wildlife impacts, and establishing a science-based framework before implementing any Good Neighbor Authority projects within the park.