Interagency Fire Officials Ease Some Restrictions

Following the recent precipitation and cooler temperatures across northwest Montana, interagency fire managers met Tuesday to discuss the current fire situation and fire restrictions in place across the region. Fire danger remains High to Very High across the zone, but the dispersed rainfall led officials to ease some restrictions.

While the majority of the region will remain under Stage 1 restrictions, which prohibit campfires, the Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park will rescind all restrictions beginning on Aug. 9. Beginning on Aug. 10, Flathead County, including land managed by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge, will also rescind Stage 1 restrictions.

Fire managers will meet again next week to reassess wildfire conditions in northwest Montana.

Northwest Montana is currently experiencing drought conditions including extremely dry forest fuels; forecasts of average to above average temperatures accompanied by low humidity, wind, and scattered precipitation associated with thunderstorms; and competition for firefighting resources, as fires continue to burn across the State and the West. The intent of fire restrictions is to reduce fire risk and prevent wildfires during periods of very high to extreme fire danger by decreasing potential sources of ignition. 

Among the federal, state and private jurisdictions still under Stage I restrictions are:

• Kootenai National Forest, including Rexford, Fortine, Three Rivers, Libby and Cabinet Ranger Districts. There are NO recreation site campfire exemptions on Kootenai National Forest land.   
• Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, including state land and private classified forested lands in Lake, Sanders and Lincoln counties.
• Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Region 1 within Lake County, Lincoln County and Sanders County
• Lincoln County – Stage I fire restrictions.
• Lake County – Stage I fire restrictions.
• Sanders County – Stage I fire restrictions.
• Green Diamond – not allowing campfires on their private timberlands.
• Flathead Ridge Ranch – prohibiting campfires on their lands.
• Southern Pine Plantation of Montana – Industrial timberlands in Lincoln, Sanders, and Flathead counties are not allowing campfires.
• Stimson Private Timber Company – not allowing campfires on their lands.
• F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Company – not allowing campfires on their lands.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions prohibit building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire, and no exceptions are being made by any agency in northwest Montana this year. Cooking on a liquid petroleum gas or propane stove that can be turned on and off is allowed.

The restrictions also prohibit smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. However, all land within a city boundary is exempted unless the local municipalities enact their own set of restrictions. Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a maintained and working spark arresting device properly installed is prohibited, as is the use of explosives, welding and operating acetylene or other torches with open flames.

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