COEUR d'ALENE - Fire officials across Kootenai County elevated the fire risk to high on Monday, meaning burning permits will continue to be issued, but on a limited basis.

Recreational campfires and cooking fires are still allowed, however.

Shane O'Shea, assistant fire warden for the Idaho Department of Lands, said his agency along with all other fire agencies in the Kootenai County Fire Chiefs Association made the decision based on the condition of forest fuels.

"Burn permits will still be issued, but more strictly regulated," he said. "We are going to limit the type of burning that is allowed."

The normal 10-day burn permits for yard waste and burn barrels will be shortened to four-day permits, he said. That allows fire officials to monitor sudden weather shifts that could exasperate the fire danger in the region.

"It also gives you a little leeway after you obtain a permit," O'Shea said. "And in most cases people will be able to renew those by phone."

He said the shorter permits will likely remain in effect for the duration of the fire season. If conditions worsen, the permits may be shortened even further, or even stopped altogether.

"Campfires and other recreational warming fires and cook fires will still be allowed without permits," O'Shea said, adding that those will not be regulated unless the fire danger is elevated to stage 1 or stage 2 later in the season.

"Frankly, I don't see that happening this year, though," he said. "Based on the conditions so far, things look pretty good this year."

The last time camp fire bans occurred was in 2004, O'Shea said.

Burning slash piles - hand piled or machine piled - are banned until further notice.

The Fire Cheifs Association, which was formed after the 1991 firestorm in Kootenai County, also issued a reminder to take extra precautions to ensure that if you burn, have water and fire tools close by during the fire.