Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Amended: ALL CAMPFIRES PROHIBITED

Release Date: Aug 29, 2017

Contact(s): Leona Rodreick

DILLON, MONT., August 29, 2017 — Interagency fire management officials in southwestern Montana will amend Stage 1 fire restrictions, effective at midnight on September 2, 2017. Until now, there were exemptions for campfires to be allowed within metal rings; this amendment now prohibits all campfires. Campfires will not be allowed in metal rings or at developed recreation sites, including campgrounds or cabins. These restrictions apply to the following areas: Madison County, Beaverhead County, Deer Lodge County, Silver Bow County, Jefferson County and Powell County. Granite County is currently under Stage 2 Restrictions.

These fire restrictions affect private lands within the listed counties; state and private forested lands under the jurisdiction of Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (MT DNRC); and lands under the jurisdiction of Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Forest Service (FS), US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Park Service (NPS)

Stage 1 fire restrictions apply to campfires and smoking.  Under Stage 1 restrictions, the following acts are prohibited:

1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Exemptions to the above Stage 1 prohibitions include the following:

• Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
• Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
• Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.
• Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
• Other exemptions unique to each agency/tribe.

Allowed by counties

• Residential use of charcoal grills, propane and LP gas as long as the fires are supervised by a responsible person at least 18 years old.

The restrictions will remain in effect until there is a significant change in fire danger.

Some counties have specific exemptions on private land so be sure to know what those are. Visit the Fire Restrictions website https://firerestrictions.us/mt/ or the specific County’s website to view those exemptions.

The purpose of fire restrictions is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires during periods of very high to extreme fire danger. These areas are experiencing critical fire conditions, including dry fuels, hot temperatures, low humidity, and high winds, all of which are expected to continue.

For additional information on fire restrictions, visit the fire restrictions website at https://firerestrictions.us/mt/ or call your local fire management agency, volunteer fire department, or county office.

 

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