Lake County may ban fireworks

Lake County appears poised to announce a fireworks ban today that would go into effect over the holiday weekend.

Lake County Commissioner Dale Decker said Monday the commissioners were planning to meet with local fire chiefs Monday night at the tribal fire control office in Ronan.

Commissioners then would meet today to consider restrictions that would start Friday.

“[This] morning we’re anticipating there may be a restriction on fireworks,” Decker said. “We think the fire departments are going to ask us to put that in place, based on all the information we have as far as the moisture and what the weather looks like.”

There are two routes the county may take to restrict fireworks: a county resolution or  Stage 2 fire restrictions. Decker said he expects the commissioners to go at least to Stage 1, which doesn’t include a fireworks ban, but noted that they may decide to jump straight to Stage 2 if conditions warrant it.

According to the Montana Department of Natural Resources’ website, Stage 1 restrictions includes a ban on campfires outside designated steel fire grates, unless the person building the fire has a permit or is in an area with a posted exemption to the fire restriction.

Smoking would not be permitted outside an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or an area with less than 3 feet in diameter cleared of flammable materials.

Fire restrictions would apply to all private land in Lake County, except within municipalities or on trust land on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Flathead County commissioners last week expressed doubt that they would enact similar restrictions, but that could change following the outbreak of the Glacier Rim Fire (caused by people) north of Columbia Falls and a Monday night meeting of the Flathead County Fire Chiefs Association.

Lincoln Chute, the Flathead County Fire Service Area manager, said the group would discuss the possibility of Stage 1 fire restrictions in Flathead County. While he would be the most likely representative to make a recommendation on fireworks, Chute did not indicate Monday whether he would suggest a ban.

“I’ll probably have a discussion about that with them, but it’s just going to be discussion at this point,” Chute said.

However, he was cautiously optimistic about the limited fireworks use he has witnessed so far.

“I think a lot of people are getting it. I’m seeing very few fireworks, and I think people  understand how dry it really is,” he said. “Hopefully, common sense will prevail and we won’t have any human-caused starts.”

Lincoln County commissioners also are considering imposing fire restrictions today.

Dave Reese of the Lake County Leader contributed to this story.