Montana saw one of its driest summers in recent years, starting with a low snowpack. By my first visit to Glacier this spring, the slopes of Logan Pass looked like a normal midsummer from my childhood.
The change in climate is more than melting glaciers; periodically there is a decreased or fluctuating snowpack. The glacial melt and snowmelt are the driving life force that creates cooler water and better habitats for fish and even abundant water for agriculture downstream.
In a drought year, decreased snowpack can also mean a drier forest that is more prone to fire. Normally, fire might not be a problem as it has functioned in the landscape for aeons, but the lack of fire in recent human history has made fire more intense. Coupled with heat and excess fuels that haven’t been allowed to burn regularly, this creates a more destructive fire.
Climate change is driving extremes and more frequent droughts. Not only for fire, but also changing the snowpack that would slowly provide water throughout the season for the rivers and lakes below.
For more info:
The Blackfoot Challenge: Working with local ranchers to create a Drought Response Plan
Fishing guide: Montana’s outdoor recreation industry threatened by climate change