Jake Holloway's term as marshal in Bedford Creek, Montana is almost over, and he can't wait for the day when he's free to ride his horse and raise cattle on the homestead he abandoned when his wife died. He has decided never to remarry, but the unexpected arrival of his landlady's sister is a foil to his peace of mind. She's feisty, beautiful, and at times downright vexing. What's worse, he can't seem to stop thinking about her. Adeline Aldrich moves to Bedford Creek to work in her sister's boardinghouse and escape her mother's incessant matchmaking. Enraptured by Montana's wide skies and wild beauty, she has no intention of settling down or giving her inheritance to a man, no matter how often her sister hints she's in danger of becoming a spinster. But when she impulsively buys a horse and asks surly, inscrutable Jake Holloway to teach her to ride, her attraction to him grows into something much stronger. Something which threatens to set her aflame with desire. Neither is willing to give up their hard-earned freedom, nor admit the extent of their feelings, but when they are trapped by a blizzard and a grifter vows revenge against them over a slight, can they overcome their doubts and face danger and an uncertain future together?

Estimates of crown fire hazard are presented for existing forest conditions in Montana by density class, structural class, forest type, and landownership. Three hazard reduction treatments were evaluated for their effectiveness in treating historically fire-adapted forests (ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), dry mixed conifer) that rate high/moderate for fire hazard. Comprehensive restoration treatments that address density, structure, and species composition of high-hazard forests are significantly more effective at reducing hazard than thin-from below approaches that remove smaller trees only. Trees removed as a byproduct of the restoration treatment yielded net revenues averaging over $600 per acre, whereas the thin-from-below approach would require an out-of-pocket expenditure of over $600 per acre. Posttreatment conditions were projected forward 30 years and reevaluated for hazard. Projections revealed that effectiveness of all treatments diminished over time; however, forests receiving the comprehensive restoration treatment remained substantially lower hazard 30 years after treatment than they would have had they received the alternative treatments.

"On August 25, 1931, five men died fighting the devastating Waldron Creek Fire west of Choteau, Montana. Lacking training and preparation, Herbert Novotny, Frank Williamson, Hjalmer G. Gunnarson, Ted Bierchen and Charles Allen dashed into the flames and never stood a chance....National Smokejumper Association chief historian Dr. Charles Palmer shines a light on this important story, finally honoring the heroic sacrifice that led to critical changes in wildland firefighting."--Back cover.

Eight-year tree growth of western larch (Larix occidentalis) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) was measured following prescribed underburning on burned and control plots in western Montana. Western larch on bun.ed plots had reduced radial growth in the first year following fire but increased growth in the next 7 years. Douglas-fir had similar growth on burned and unburned plots. Growth was not reduced by low levels of crown scorch or cambial injury. Stand basal area growth was less on burned plots due to high fire-caused mortality.