National Forest offices limit access to public

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Flathead and Kootenai National Forest officials are limiting access to their offices.

Kootenai officials closed their front office Tuesday until further notice.

Flathead National Forest offices remain open.

According to Flathead National Forest Public Affairs Officer Lauren Alley, when folks arrive, they’ll be asked to answer three questions about their level of risk before being admitted.

“A lot of questions can be answered over the phone, so folks should definitely use that if helpful for them,” Alley wrote in an email.

Officials are asking visitors to self-assess using the following U.S. Department of Agriculture provided questions:

• Have you, someone living in your household, someone with you, someone you have been in close or frequent contact with, or someone you are caring for been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) or had any contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19?

• In the last 14 days, have you, someone living in your household, or someone with you have been in close or frequent contact with, or someone you are caring for returned from, or made a travel connection through a CDC Level 2 or Level 3 country or State Department Level 3 or Level 4 country, for example, China, Korea, Japan, the European Union, Iran?

• Do you currently have, or have you had within the last 24 hours, any cold or flu symptoms, including a fever greater than 100.4, shortness of breath, body aches and coughing?

If the answer to all of these questions is no, call the following numbers for assistance in obtaining entrance to the office. This may include setting up an appointment to enhance social distancing and minimize the number of visitors in the office at one time.

If any of the answers to the questions is yes, officials ask that visitors still call the below-listed number(s) for assistance through other means besides face-to-face.

For those who want to make an appointment with an employee or need assistance with visitor information or would like to purchase a map over the phone and have it mailed, they are asked to contact the specific local Forest Service office, listed below. Fire wood permits need to be purchased in person with a valid ID at either the local Forest Service office or any of the participating vendors.

The Flathead National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Kalispell may be reached at 406-758-5208, the Tally Lake Ranger District in Kalispell at 406-758-5204, the Swan Lake Ranger District in Bigfork at 406-837-7500 and the Hungry Horse and Spotted Bear Ranger Districts in Hungry Horse at 406-387-3800. The offices are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Kootenai National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Libby can be reached at 406-293-6211, the Three Rivers Ranger District office in Troy at 406-295-4693, the Cabinet Ranger District office in Trout Creek at 406-827-3533, the Rexford/Fortine Ranger District office in Eureka at 406-296-2536 and the Libby Ranger District office in Libby at 406-2293-7773.

The offices are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with the exception of the Cabinet office, which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.