Open burning season begins Oct. 1

 

October 1, 2020



Open burning season begins October 1 across western Montana and runs until November 30. Open burning season is set annually to reduce the risk of fires escaping control and to preserve air quality.

Ensuring permits meet air quality standards is especially important and any burning done must comply with Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regulations, which regulate smoke emissions from open burning to prevent and reduce air quality impacts. The DEQ regulates burning activities to keep potentially harmful smoke emissions at safe levels.

While burn permits are not required during this period, you are responsible for making sure your debris burn does not escape your control. Please consider these safety factors prior to burning:

Call the Airshed hotline at 1 (800) 225-6779 or visit https://mi.airshedgroup.org/ prior to burning to check air quality restrictions that may prohibit burning for the day. Burning during an air quality restriction is a citable violation.

Burn in small piles so the fire will be hot but manageable.

Do not burn items such as (but not limited to) household garbage, dead animals, treated or painted wood, tires, oil, chemicals, or synthetic materials, such as rubber or plastic.

Wait until it rains or snows if there is a chance of escape.

Wet the area down around the piles.

Clear the area around the pile of dry flammable material and have bare soil within several feet of the pile.

Build the piles in openings away from overhead branches, wires, and structures.

Keep water and tools close by, be ready in case of unexpected changes in the fire.

Check the weather forecast for unexpected changes.

Do not burn when windy.

Burning is only one way to dispose of your debris and reduce fuels. Please consider recycling your paper and cardboard and composting your needles, small limbs and grass clippings and burning only natural vegetation and woody materials. State law prohibits the burning of non-vegetative materials such as those listed above.

For additional information/questions regarding debris burning or fuel hazards please contact your local Ranger District. For the Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District, call (406) 826-3821 or the Cabinet Ranger District, (406) 827-3533. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation can be reached at (406) 826-3851.

 

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