Officials urge safe burning practices after fire ignites

SANDERS COUNTY - It only takes a few seconds to lose control of a fire.

But those crucial seconds when a fire escapes control could end up causing a lot of damage and leave the person responsible for lighting it facing severe consequences, both financially and personally.

When it comes right down to it, anyone who lights a fire is responsible for keeping that blaze where it is supposed to be. If it escapes and damages or threatens lives and property, and requires an agency response, the person who lit it can be held responsible, legally and financially.

And rolling out fire engines and personnel to such a blaze is potentially very expensive.

Hoping to reduce the chance of fire escapes and resource-draining responses to escaped fires, local fire agencies are again urging the public to burn safely. In an effort to ensure that burns are conducted safely, fire management officials are issuing reminders about burning in a safe manner.

“It would seem like the chance of an escaped fire is low right now, with the amount of moisture we have received so far this year,” Plains/Thompson Falls Fire Prevention Specialist John Hamilton said. “But there is always a chance of something going wrong. Especially if people are not prepared or the weather changes quickly.”

Something went wrong this past Thursday when a local homeowner lost control of a debris fire. The blaze went several hundred feet up a hill bordering the Clark Fork River valley bottom before being brought under control by a combination of DNRC, rural and city personnel.

Plains Fire Dispatcher Ned Winebrenner said two DNRC fire engines, two rural fire department engines, one city fire engine and several firefighters were sent to the fire, which was quickly controlled by that initial attack.

The sad part is, it didn’t have to go down that way. With a little planning and foresight, landowners can help ensure that the fire does not get away while burning.

“This is a good time of the year to get some burning done,” Winebrenner said. “We just want people to be careful when they are doing it.”

Chances of an escaped fire are low if the proper precautions are taken before burning. Before igniting a fire:

- Ensure that an adequate water source is in place and ready to use. Check the water pressure

- Have hand tools available and on site. Keep a shovel, rake and/or other hand tools within

- Be a good neighbor and tell someone that you plan on burning, and ensure that you can get

- Call the Airshed Hotline at 1-800-225-6779 to see if any air quality restrictions are in place.

- Check the weather forecast before burning and avoid burning during the time of day when winds are usually strongest.

In northwest Montana, open burning is allowed without a permit in the spring months of March and April and again in the fall months of October and November, but a burn permit is required for any burning done between May and September.

Open burning is not allowed in the months of December through February.

Before burning, consider other options for the disposal of unwanted materials as burning is often not the only, or best way to deal with unwanted debris. Before lighting a fire, consider the following:

1. Is this something that really needs to be burned? Dead grass, garden debris, leaves and conifer needles are all materials that can be composted. This would reduce the need to burn and beneficial compost would be produced.

2. Is the material being burned dry enough to burn up quickly without smoldering? Wood at the bottom of large piles, particularly if dirt is mixed in, can be very wet during the spring. Left unattended, this wet wood can smolder for weeks or even months and flame up later.

3. What will the weather be like when you are burning? A sudden increase in wind speed can cause a fire to burn more rapidly and escape control.

4. Is the debris to be burned drier than the surrounding fuels? It is usually best to burn earlier in the day when the relative humidity is higher. Avoid burning during the warmest part of the day.

5. Will the fire be watched during the entire time that it is burning? Leaving fires unattended is not allowed according to permit regulations. Make plans to have the fire watched by someone at all times until it is completely out.

Remember that only agricultural or natural debris can be burned during open burning season. Prohibited materials include treated or painted wood or lumber, tar paper, tires, insulated wire, oil products, styrofoam, plastics, food wastes, animal parts or waste, hazardous waste, business waste and any manmade materials.

When finished burning, be sure the fire is 100% out. This can be done by feeling the area with bare hands for warm spots, or by spraying the area and watching for steam.

Burning is allowed by permit only from May 1 to Sept. 30.

Permits are not required for campfires unless existing fire danger forces the imposition of fire restrictions. Campfires can not be left unattended and must be completely extinguished before leaving the For more information, call the U.S. Forest Service at 826-3821 (in Plains) or at 827-3533 (in Trout Creek), or the Montana Department of State Lands at 826-3851.