DNRC Burning Permits

Spring Open Burning March 1 - April 30

(No permits required)

Spring is a great time to clear some brush, prune lower limbs from trees, and improve the defensible space around your home.

It's never too early to start preparing for next fire season!

Remember, permits are required in MAY & JUNE. No burning will be allowed in July, August, and September due to Montana's wildfire season.

A few tips before you light a fire:

Call Air Quality before every burn at 751-8144 or Click Here
Only vegetation may be burned, no man-made materials of any kind.
Check the weather forecast and do not burn when gusty or high winds are predicted.
Fires should be attended until completely out.
Have enough water, tools, and help on site to extinguish your fire if necessary.

Burn Permits will be required in May and June only. They are valid for the following areas:

All Flathead County Rural Fire Districts
Lake County Rural Fire Departments (Rollins, Swan Lake, Bigfork, and Ferndale)
All Flathead National Forest Ranger Districts and Glacier National Park
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC)

WHAT CAN YOU BURN?

Only two types of debris burning are allowed in Montana:

1) Agricultural debris - This debris is created from farming, ranching, and gardening.

If possible, plow or dig a fire control line around the area to be burned and divide large fields into smaller plots to be burned one at a time. If you do not want to burn, your field or garden may benefit if you simply plow the dried plants and leaves under.

2) Wildland debris - This debris is created in two ways.

A. Natural accumulations of needles, grasses, leaves, shrubs, limbs, and trees.
B. Unnatural accumulations of fuel resulting from management activities such as land clearing or timber harvesting.

WHAT CAN'T YOU BURN?
Materials that are prohibited to burn include business waste, treated or painted wood or lumber, tar paper, tires, insulated wire, any salvage, oil products, styrofoam or plastics, food wastes, animal parts or waste, hazardous waste, noxious waste, and any man-made material. Trade Waste permits may be issued for wood or wood by-product trade wastes generated by any business, industry trade, or demolition project. Trade waste permits may be obtained by calling your local city-county health department. For more information, contact the appropriate agency:

In Flathead County call the Flathead City-County Health Department at 751-8130 or Click Here and scroll down.

In Lake County call the CSKT Division of Fire at 676-2550 or the MT DEQ at 444-4267

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH FIRE!
Escaped debris fires can threaten valuable resources, as well as lives and property. Follow the information provided under "Tips for burning" to reduce the risk of an escaped debris fire.

Remember, you are responsible for any and all suppression costs if your fire escapes your control! (State Statute 50-63-103 MCA)

Tips for Burning

BURN ONLY NATURAL VEGETATION AND WOODY MATERIALS

Keep piles clean and free of dirt. Use brush blades on dozers when piling slash. When possible, use an excavator to pile.
Build small piles so the fire will be hot, yet manageable. Wet or dirt-covered materials will cause fires to smolder and emit more smoke.
Build piles in openings away from bodies of water, structures, or overhead branches and wires.
Piles may be covered with plastic or waterproof paper to keep them dry. This will allow them to be burned when nearby fuels are too wet to burn and control is no longer a problem or concern. Remember to remove the plastic before igniting the piles.
Scrape a control line by removing any debris and any other burnable materials several feet around the piles to be burned. The result should be bare soil around each pile. You may also use a hose to wet down the area around the pile.
Keep plenty of water, personnel, tools, and equipment on hand in case of unexpected changes in fire behavior.
Light the fire only when you have an update on favorable weather and safe burning conditions. (e.g. winds calm, weather cool)
When possible, continue to re-pile debris as material is consumed. This will allow the fire tostay hot and to burn out as quickly as possible.
Stay with your fire. Be prepared to put your fire out if it becomes difficult to manage.

If you intend to burn, have in place:

A current weather forecast for your local area (NOAA, Weather Underground , The Weather Channel)
Water source (a charged hose, buckets, pond or lake...)
Fire tools (long-handled shovel, rake, hoe...) or equipment depending on the size of your burn
Enough help to repond in the event that fire behavior increases.

CAUTION
Do not burn when high or erratic winds are forecast or dry conditions prevail. Do not attempt to bury any burning material as fire can and will burn underground, sometimes for several months!

BURN BARRELS

Burn barrels should not be used to burn garbage.

If burn barrels are used, please burn only agricultural or wildland debris.

ALTERNATIVES TO BURNING

Making a compost pile out of small organic materials
Using thinning and logging debris for firewood
Tilling vegetative waste materials into the soil
Hauling debris to a landfill
Chipping logging debris and slash
Lopping and scattering logging debris
Machine crushing or trampling the logging debris.

Seasonal Schedule

Dec 1 - Feb 28	No burning due to air quality concerns
Mar 1 - Apr 30	Spring open burning season No burn permit required Air quality compliance required in Flathead County Call 751-8144 or click here for today's ventilation forecast
May 1 - June 30	Burn Permits are required Air quality compliance required in Flathead County Call 751-8144 or click here for today's Air Quality ventilation & burning forecast
July 1 - Sept 30	No burning allowed due to the increased fire danger of Montana's Fire Season
Oct 1 - Nov 30	Fall open burning season No burn permit required Air quality compliance required In Flathead County, call 751-8144 In Lake County, call 1-800-225-6779

Campfires

If no restrictions are in place, a permit is not needed for campfires measuring less than 48 inches in diameter.

Recreational campfires are allowed year-round when no restrictions are in place.
A campfire must be constructed in an area free of flammable materials; check for overhanging branches.
Do not allow your campfire to spread beyond the established ring, pit, grate or container.
A shovel, or other fire tools, and a sufficient amount of water to extinguish the fire must be on site.
Never leave a campfire unattended, and make sure it is DEAD OUT before vacating the site.

During the summer, as wild fire danger increases, special fire restrictions may be established by an authority having jurisdiction. Restrictions prohibit building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire on public or private property.

CLICK HERE to see if wildland fire restrictions have been established in your area.

Helpful Links

Flathead Air Quality Burning Restrictions/Ventilation Hotline: http://flatheadhealth.org/environmental-health/burn-restrictions/
Debris Burning: http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/forestry/fire-and-aviation/fire-prevention-and-preparedness/debris-burning-safety
National Weather Service: www.wrh.noaa.gov
Wildland Fire Restrictions: http://firerestrictions.us/mt/

Fire Safe Montana: http://firesafemt.org/

Fire Ready Montana: http://serve.mt.gov/fire-ready-mt-4/
Firewise: www.firewise.org
Smokey Bear: www.smokeybear.com
InciWeb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

Videos:

Embracing wildfire safety with Jack Cohen: "If your home doesn't ignite, it can't burn."

"The Fire Line: Wildfire in Colorado" - A special Denver Post Documentary

Contact Us:

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION
INTERAGENCY BURNING PERMIT CENTER (IBPC)
655 Timberwolf Pkwy, Suite 1
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406) 752-7376 (recording) or 751-2270 (Fire Prevention Specialist)
Email: support@firesafekalispell.com

AIR QUALITY HOTLINE
Flathead County: (406)751-8144 (hotline updated each morning and on Friday for the weekend)
Lake County: (800) 225-6779 (only updated in the fall)

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
www.wrh.noaa.gov
(406)755-4829

CALL 911 TO REPORT UNCONTROLLED OR UNATTENDED FIRES