KALISPELL — November is a great month for open burning in Northwest Montana to help get rid of fire fuels around your property.
“It’s a much safer time of year to get rid of that debris and do some forest management and do some home ignition zone, protecting your own property and your house,” said Flathead County Fire Area Manager Lincoln Chute.
Starting last year, an online burn permit is required in Flathead County before you can start burning in your backyard. The online permit system helps fire officials manage burns more effectively across the county.
“It’s a value to all of us to be able to have that burn permit system so we can dispose properly of these materials in the right conditions,” said Chute.
Chute said the permit system notifies the public when it’s okay to burn on their property and when conditions might be dangerous for burning.
Air quality conditions, high pressure and high winds all play a factor when determining if burning is allowed on any given day. The permit system allows fire officials to open burning days in the winter months if conditions are favorable.
“You know this is an advantage, we’re opening up more opportunities to burn is really what’s going on, and so you know utilizing that system, it takes a few minutes to get your permit, keep that number, you can reactivate it as many times for the year,” Chute explained.
Chute said keeping burn piles small is a safe way to keep that fire contained on your property.
“And a lot easier to handle, you don’t have to carry the stuff, and they burn right up and go out, they don’t go into the soil as much so you don’t lose that organic material that’s what I personally like to do and I would recommend people to do, it works really well.”
Chute noted man-made materials are not allowed for burning, those need to be properly disposed of at the landfill, “You know we have neighbors, community, we need to respect them too.”
Visit Flathead.mt.gov for a link to register or activate a permit and to learn additional information.
