Tips, suggestions about potential fire dangers
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MISSION VALLEY — As spring makes its presence known around the Mission Valley, you may notice the sky is a bit hazier than blue as the days grow longer. And soon velvet green pastures will replace charred fields.
Open burning season started March 1 and ends April 30. Beginning May 1, residents will then be required to obtain a permit to burn through Sept. 30.
Devlin LaFrombois, fire information officer with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, said spring is the best time to burn. The ground is still moist so homeowners, ranchers and farmers have ample time to prepare their land for the upcoming fire season.
Although the rest of the month is “open burn,” there are still steps to take before you burn. LaFrombois said residents should call local county sheriff’s offices, whether in Lake, Missoula or Sanders, to let them know you will be burning in case the fire is reported. The next stop is to contact CSKT Air Quality at 883-2888 to find out whether or not it is okay to burn.
“That’s really important. If it’s pretty poor air circulation because of upper-level winds, which is anything above 20 feet, (the smoke) just stays there,” LaFrombois said.
He recommended burning during the day rather than at night, which he said is the worst time, since weather conditions are usually windier at night.
“People need to plan out burns instead of just going outside and burning stuff,” said Arlee Fire Chief Ken Light. Light suggested burning in the morning because there is typically less wind and the ground is moist, making the fire easier to control.
There are also limits on the types of items you are allowed to burn. Tires, oil products and things that contain chemicals are not supposed to be burned. LaFrombois said right now people are allowed to burn debris that is cluttering their yards and fields such as leaves, branches and trees.
“Springtime is a good time to get ride of dangerous stuff by homes,” he explained, adding that having fuels or an excess of trees, shrubs and growth near homes increases fire danger.
“Keep woodpiles away from houses and keep your lawn green,” said Carey Cooley, Lake County Fuel Reduction Coordinator. “We haven’t had a busy or active fire season these last couple of years. When smoke is not in the air people don’t think about (safeguarding their homes). It is super important to be prepared.”
Tribal members who wish to reduce these fuels by thinning, pruning, piling, burning, chipping, and/or mulching in areas where hazardous fuel conditions warrant can apply for grants through the tribal wildlife risk assessment and fuel reduction program at 676-2550. Non-tribal members can contact the Lake County wildlife risk assessment and fuel reduction program at 883-6999.
If people want to apply for these grants, LaFrombois said he inspects their homes and evaluates the situation.
For example, if a home is in an area with a lot of timber and there is enough grant money available, the CSKT Forestry program will thin or reduce the abundance of fuel.
“It’s not the raging fire that (destroys) homes, but the stuff flying ahead. Embers cause the most problems, spot fires — that’s the most common way houses burn down,” Light said.
He recommended residents visit www.firesafemt.org to set up an evacuation plan in case of a wildfire. Another useful website is www.firewise.org, which provides information for homeowners about wildfire risk and suggestions to reduce that hazard.
Once the open season is over, a whole new set of rules are in effect.
Permits are required to help local enforcement keep track and control natural fires that often spark up during the dry summer months.
“(But) anytime during the summer when it gets too dangerous, we shut off down permit burning until October,” LaFrombois said.
Light added that it’s tough to predict whether a summer will be especially high risk for wildfires.
“We ended up with a fairly normal snowpack, but the potential for fire is there every year. The whole thing boils down to rain during the summer,” Light said.
But it is never premature to exercise safety and precaution.
“Yesterday we had four fires escape from people,” LaFrombois said last week. “People need to make sure they have enough people, tools and water.”
He said a woman recently lit some cattails around a pond on her property. She left the fire unattended to run an errand and returned to find that she had burned four acres of her neighbor’s land.
In Arlee, Light said there was one grass fire (firefighters) had to put out last week.
“It went in the wrong direction; it was not so bad (since) the conditions are not really dry,” Light said. “Make sure you attend it … most people are pretty good though.”
“At any time, the wind can pick up … you are not supposed to leave a fire unattended,” LaFrombois stressed. “If (the fire) causes damage, (you) are liable for property and damages. You can also be fined if the damage is extensive, such as burning down someone’s house. So it’s very important to stay with the fire until it is out.”
