Lincoln County Forester Ed Levert is a pragmatist. For Levert, it’s not whether an area will be ravaged by wildfires, but when.

As the county forester, Levert’s job is to protect the woodlands and the inhabited lands that dot the forest, and that includes Libby.

Recently, Levert stressed to Libby City Council members the importance of thinning the South Hills 22-acre area near Bowen Hill that is jointly owned by Jerry and Ellen Frament (14 acres), Joe Kauzlarich and the City of Libby (four acres each).

“We want to leave about 50 percent of the best trees to serve as a shaded fuel break and continue to serve as water pumps,” Levert said of the thinning that would lessen the devastation should a fire in the area arise.

City Council members agreed to allow the logging, but last week Levert said the logging company has delayed its operation.

“The logging on the South Hill sale will be delayed until this spring. The logger is afraid the road could rut up too much, and I agree,” Levert said.

In all, 145,000 board feet could be harvested from the site. The Idaho Forest Group of Moyie Springs is the logging company, and it will pay about $65 per thousand board feet with the city getting about $1,625.