As we approach the month of April, I would like to remind all residents that there is open burning for one more month.

Please call Air Quality at 751-8144, before you burn.

Be sure to have an adequate water supply and appropriate tools on hand when you burn.

Beginning May 1, a burn permit will be required.

The Bigfork Fire Department training tower is near completion.

This month we will be installing doors and windows. We are planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house in June. Further information will be in my May article.

For the month of April, we will be doing classroom training as well as field exercises to prepare our firefighters for a potentially busy wild land fire season.

Owners can help reduce fire activity around their homes by doing fuel mitigation, removing pine needles from roofs and rain gutters, removing combustibles near homes and keeping their yards moist and green.

For the month of March, we responded to 11 incidents: brush or brush and grass mixture fire (2), land medical helicopter (3), medical assist, assist EMS crew (1), vehicle accident with injuries (1), ice rescue (1), authorized controlled burning (2), and central station, malicious false alarm (1).

Top responders were Capt. Katie Edwards and Lt. Marv Gielen (8) and firefighter Chad Oster (7).

Loeffler is chief of the Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department.