MISSOULA, Mont. – With extreme fire danger in the dry Montana heat comes restrictions to when and where people can have campfires, smoke and use torches and candles with an open flame.
Effective Friday, July 19, Missoula County, Ravalli County and Lolo National Forest moved into stage II fire restrictions.
The Forest Service said the following acts are prohibited under stage II restrictions:
Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire.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 closed of all flammable materials.Operating an Internal Combustion Engine.Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame.Using a motor vehicle off designated roads.
Some acts like lawn mowing and using a chainsaw have time restrictions under the same stage II rules.
From 1 p.m. until 1 a.m., operating lawn mowers, weed trimmers, chainsaws and other internal combustion engines, welding and using explosives is not allowed in Missoula and Ravalli Counties under stage II restrictions.
The Missoula Fire Department offered in-depth answers to common questions about how fire restrictions impact private property.
“This is a big shift, and we understand it will be an inconvenience for many of our visitors. We appreciate your cooperation during these dangerous conditions,” Jeremy Casterson, Deputy Forest Supervisor on the Lolo National Forest, said in a press release.
As of Friday afternoon, there are 73 active wildfires in Montana, 22 of which ignited in the last 24 hours, according to mtfireinfo.org.
The Forest Service updates their website with fire restrictions across the state, along with notices when the restrictions expire. Restrictions are in place until otherwise posted.
