Commission announces fire restrictions as Eagle Creek Fire continues

As the Eagle Creek Fire burns on tribal, private and government land just south of Beaver Creek Park, the Hill County Commission has announced that the county will enter Stage 1 Fire Restrictions at 12:01 a.m. Friday morning to take some pressure off of the departments battling the blaze.

The city of Havre, Fish Wildlife and Parks and the federal Bureau of Land Management also are implementing Stage 1 restrictions Friday.

Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson said the primary effect of these restrictions is that campfires including on Beaver Creek Park will be prohibited, but the restrictions also prohibit smoking outside of an enclosed vehicle or building, developed recreation site or in an area at least three feet in diameter free of flammable material.

Exemptions for these restrictions include people with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act, people using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LGP fuels that can be turned on and off, provided such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of device.

People conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice are also exempt along with any federal, state or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.

Land within a city boundary is also exempted and some agencies and tribes have their own exemptions as well.

Peterson said the request for the county to move into Stage 1 came at the request of local fire departments battling the Eagle Creek Fire which has taken up much of their time and energy, and who can’t afford to have more fires start up.

The Eagle Creek Fire, which began Wednesday of last week, is now 70 percent contained and covers 7,225 acres south of Beaver Creek Park. The Lions Campground on Beaver Creek Park and Sandy Creek Campground remain closed until further notice and Beaver Creek Road is closed to non-local and non-emergency traffic south of Bear Paw Lake, aka Second Lake.

Two hundred and twenty five people are fighting the fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, but appears to be human in origin.

Minimal fire activity has been reported since the last update.

Peterson said the departments have been working very hard keeping the Eagle Creek Fire in check and have been doing a great job working together, so imposing these restrictions to take some pressure off of them is reasonable, especially given that conditions are dry enough to justify the change anyway.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has also moved its land in Hill County to Stage 1 fire restrictions, prohibiting any fires on their property in Hill County.

“In response to dry, warm weather that could increase the danger of human-caused wildfires, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks fishing access sites and wildlife management areas will be under Stage 1 fire restrictions in Hill County in Region 6, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Friday morning,” a release from FWP says.

The release says people can go to http://fwp.mt.gov for updates on restrictions and closures around the state, and under the “News and Public Notices” tab, click on “Closures and Restrictions” or go to http://www.mtfireinfo.org .

The release says private landowners with land enrolled in Block Management Areas or other private land access programs may also have restrictions or closures, and people should ask when securing permission on any private land.

The release says recreationists should seek to lower their risks of starting fires by driveing only on established roads, avoiding roads with tall vegetation in the middle track, never park over dry grass and other vegetation while making sure to pull off the road and carry a fire extinguisher — or water-filled weed sprayer — bucket, shovel, ax, and a cell-phone for emergency calls.

It says people should also restrict camping activities to designated camping areas, smoke only inside buildings or vehicles, and check on any fire restrictions in place.

U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced today it also is imposing Stage 1 fire restrictions on land it administers in Hill County, along with all state and private lands, effective Friday at 12:01 a.m.

Under the restriction, the following are prohibited:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire, except within an established, metal, or concrete fire ring in a developed campsite or recreation area.

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, building, developed recreation site or in a 3-foot- diameter area cleared of all burnable vegetation and materials.

Exemptions: Pursuant to Title 43, CFR § 9212.2 (b)(3), the following are exempted from this order:

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 barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the device.

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

4. Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in performance of official duties.

5. Other exemptions unique to each agency/tribe.