KALISPELL — Spring burning season opens March 1 and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation officials are warning the public about possible safety concerns.
DNRC officials ask the public to burn piles with dry materials so they burn clean and fast. Piles must not be closer than 50 feet to any structure or 10 feet from any property line.
Officials told MTN News that only natural vegetation debris may be burned.
DNRC spokesman Ernie Nace said burn piles are the number one cause of human fires in Flathead County.
Nace says those wishing to burn must have proper resources in place in case the fire gets out of control.
“Asking a neighbor or friend to come over and give you a hand, staying with the pile until it’s completely extinguished and again making sure your pile is dead out, completely out," said Nace.
"Before you just leave the next day because a lot of these debris burns, it’s that next day when the wind picks up and they’re not home and it takes off," he added.
No burn permits are required in Flathead County during the spring open burning season during March and April.
It should be noted that debris burning is not permitted within city limits of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls.
