Too hot to burn.

The Idaho Department of Lands and Kootenai County fire district chiefs announced a burn ban for all of Kootenai County on Thursday, due to hot weather and dry conditions.

"The moisture level is down to the point where if a wildland fire does get started, the potential for spread is much higher right now," said Jim Lyon, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue public education specialist. "Typically this happens this time of year every year, as fire conditions get worse."

The ban becomes effective on Monday, Aug. 2.

Small campfires and burn barrels are still allowed, so long as materials are on hand to keep the fire under control.

No further permits will be issued for uses like trash burning, Lyon said.

Field burning for agriculture use will still be permitted, said Gary Darrington, Department of Lands fire warden for the Mica Area.

"I guess the state sees the need for them to get that done, because it's important they get it burned for next year's production," Darrington said, speaking of how burning increases crop yields.

Farmers are required to keep personnel and equipment on site to keep the burning contained, he added.

"They usually have some type of water truck and lots of extra hands, so they can run and put out any hot spots, should fire escape," he said.

Darrington estimated that about 500 acres will be burned on the Rathdrum Prairie this year, though the number varies each year.

No permits have been requested yet, he added.

"Maybe it's a little bit early yet," he said.

The burning restriction won't affect bluegrass burning on the reservation, either, said Coeur d'Alene Tribe spokesperson Helo Hancock.

The tribe will still take fire conditions into consideration, he said.

"A lot of folks are looking closely at that to do what's in the best interest for everyone," Hancock said. "This thing (the county burn ban) is pretty routine. It's not something that would necessarily preclude or influence the decision-making down here with respect to field burning."

The tribe burns around 30,000 acres, he estimated. Several thousand has already been burned so far this year.

Violators of the burning ban could be fined for the cost of the emergency response, Lyon said.

"We want to work with homeowners. Basically it's a safety issue," he said.

He expects the ban will be lifted around late September or early October, when the area sees more precipitation.

For more information about the ban or previously obtained permits, call Lyon at 659-0156.