Last week county engineer Dan Dahlke said a 70-acre grid had been mapped out in the county’s large, rual area hit hard during the April 27 storms.

There would be 11 miles of fire lines that would need to be cut, at an estimated cost of $100,000 to 150,000.

The county has been identifying half-a-dozen sections to prepare specs for a contractor, most likely a logging company, to perform the work.

Fire in the valley is potentially dangerous because the 1.25-mile wide tornado that ripped through there left so many downed, dry trees. Much of that timber remains untouched and a lightning strike could ignite it and easilly spread a fire.