Permit season for burning starts May 1

Outdoor burning permits, available online, will be required starting Tuesday, May 1, through June 30, according to a news release from the Interagency Burn Permit Center. 

For Flathead County plus the Northern Lake County fire districts of Rollins, Bigfork, Ferndale, and Swan Lake, go to: www.firesafekalispell.com. Fill out the online application and a permit will be generated and e-mailed. 

People need to have copies of their permits with them when they burn. The permits are free. One permit will be required for each location, but the permit will be good through June 30.  

No burning is allowed July 1 through Sept. 30.

Those without Internet access can seek assistance at several locations across the Flathead Valley Monday through Friday during regular business hours: the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation office in Kalispell at 655 Timberwolf Parkway, the DNRC office in Olney at 7425 U.S. 93 N., Flathead County Environmental Health on the second floor of the Earl Bennett Building at 1035 1st Ave. W. in Kalispell or the Bigfork Fire Department at 810 Grand Ave. in Bigfork.   

Burn permits are not valid within the city limits of Whitefish, Kalispell and Columbia Falls.

Before they burn, it is the burners’ responsibility to call the Flathead County Air Quality Hotline at 751-8144 or 1-800-225-6779 in Lake County. 

Burners are responsible for any and all suppression costs if a fire escapes their control. Escaped debris burns are the leading cause of all wildfires in Montana. Don’t leave your fire unattended and don’t burn when windy.