DNRC urges caution as open burning season begins

SANDERS COUNTY - With the statewide open burning season set to begin March 1, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) wants to make sure that unwanted debris is the only thing going up in flames.

“Each year people start more than half of all wildfires in Montana, and the majority of those fires are started by burning debris that escapes control,” said Bruce Suenram, Deputy Chief of DNRC’s Fire and Aviation Management Bureau. “Open burning of trash and other materials is a worthwhile tool, but it comes with risks.”

If a landowner’s debris fire escapes control, Suenram said, that individual can be held liable for fire suppression costs and any damage done to neighboring property. “The safest way to dispose of trash and debris is to haul it away,” he said. “But if you must burn, be careful and follow all the basic safety rules.”

Those rules include the following:

• Never start a burn in windy conditions

• Keep burning piles away from buildings, dry grass and other debris

• Clear the area of all flammable material

• Burn only one pile at a time

• Keep a water hose and hand tools close by

• Attend the fire until it is completely extinguished

• Make sure you have enough help to manage your fire

• Be prepared to put your fire out if weather conditions change or the fire becomes difficult to manage

Open burning permits are issued by each Montana county, several of which now offer an online system for obtaining permits. For more information on open burning and fire safety, contact your local county administration office or local fire department.