Cities react to rising fire danger
The Sheep Fire torches trees as it works its way down the slope toward the Goat Lick just outside of Glacier National Park in this file photo from 2015. This summer is shaping up to be a bad fire year again and no rain is in the forecast for Northwest Montana.
The city of Columbia Falls enacted Stage 2 fire restrictions on Friday, and the city of Whitefish issued a fire advisory with the caveat that Whitefish likely will be issuing Stage 2 restrictions that already are in effect on state and federal lands, Glacier National Park and on private land in Flathead County and other neighboring counties.
The city of Kalispell has not enacted Stage 2 restrictions, but Assistant Police Chief John Campbell said city ordinances that ban fireworks and open burning offer public protection.
“Essentially we’re there [at Stage 2] all the time,” Campbell said.
The forecast for continued extremely hot, dry weather has fire officials and local residents on high alert. The National Weather Service forecast Friday afternoon called for a high temperature of 93 degrees on Saturday, 95 on Sunday, 94 on Monday, 95 on Tuesday, 96 on Wednesday and 96 on Thursday — with no chance of rain.
Whitefish city officials said in a press release that a fire advisory “is meant to alert city of Whitefish residents and businesses of the current fire conditions and that care is needed for recreational fires, use of motorized vehicles, smoking and fireworks. Whitefish further advised residents to have fire extinguishers or garden hoses ready.
Stage 2 fire restrictions prohibit:
- The building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire.
- Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or while stopped in an area of at least 3-feet in diameter that is clear of all flammable materials.
- The use of fireworks.
- Operating a motorized vehicle off of a designated trail or road, except for persons engaged in a trade, business, or occupation where it is required, and there are fire extinguishers and fire tools with the vehicle.
Exemptions from Stage 2 restrictions:
- Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or liquid propane gas fuels that can be turned on and off in an area that is barren or closely mowed and clear of all surrounding flammable materials within 3-feet of the device, and cleared overhead of all flammable material within 6-feet of the device, and have fire extinguishing material readily accessible at the device.
- People can use barbecue grills that have an area that is barren or closely mowed and cleared of all surrounding flammable materials within 3-feet of the barbecue device, and cleared overhead of all flammable material within 6-feet of the barbecue device, and have a water hose readily accessible.
- Operating generators with an approved spark arresting device in within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area barren of flammable materials within 10-feet of the generator, and cleared overhead of all flammable material within 6-feet of the generator.
- Emergency repair of public roadways, public utilities, or railways.
- Any federal, state or local official or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of their official duties.