Fire restrictions still on in north-central Montana counties

Over the weekend, cooler and wetter weather helped ease the effects of this year’s fire season, but most of the counties within the Lewistown Fire Restriction Area have decided to stay in fire restrictions, with the exception of Chouteau and Phillips Counties.  These two counties along with Montana Department of Natural Resource & Conservation rescinded Stage 1 fire restrictions effective immediately. 

Blaine, Golden Valley, Hill, Roosevelt, Sheridan and Valley Counties are currently in Stage 1 fire restrictions, including all lands managed by the Montana Department of Natural Resource and Conservation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

The Big and Little Snowy Mountains and the Little Belt Mountains managed by the U.S. Forest Service are under Stage 1 fire restrictions, with the campfire restriction expect in permanently-established, metal ring, being lifted at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Under Stage 1 fire restrictions, the following actions are allowed:

Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire within an established, metal fire ring in a developed recreation site or improved site.

Smoking, within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed, designated recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Exemptions

Only the following exemptions to the above prohibitions are allowed for this special order:

  • Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.

• Persons using a fire solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device

• Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted BLM permit. 

• A federal, state, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty. 

• All land within a city boundary is exempted.

Fergus, Judith Basin, Petroleum and Wheatland counties, along with all BLM administrated with the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Chouteau, Blaine and Phillips counties are still under Stage 2 fire Restrictions.

Under Stage 2 restrictions, the following acts are prohibited until further notice.

1. Building maintaining, attending, or using a campfire.

2. 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.

3. Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails.

4. The following acts are prohibited from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.:

a. Operating any internal combustion engine.

b. Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame.

c. Using an explosive.

A one-hour foot patrol in the work area is required following cessation of all work as described in #4 above.

Stage II Exemptions*:

1. Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.

2. Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off.  Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3’ of device. 

3. Operating generators with approved spark arrestors within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3’ of the generator.

4. Operating motorized vehicles on designated roads and trails.

5. Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.

6. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.

7. All land within a city boundary is exempted.

8. Other exemptions unique to each agency/tribe.

  *An exemption does not absolve an individual or organization from liability or responsibility for any fire started by the exempted activity.

For additional information on fire restrictions, visit the fire restrictions website at http://www.firerestrictions.us or contact Shannon Bonney, Lewistown Area Restrictions Coordinator, at 406-538-1942.