Lincoln County and the Kootenai National Forest on Wednesday both announced fire restrictions to begin midnight Thursday due to fire danger the county described as very high to extreme.

The County Commissioners in Resolution 991 authorized the prohibition of open burning unless within the guidelines of stage II fire restrictions, while the Forest Service authorized stage I fire restrictions on its lands.

“All other participating agencies (federal, state, county, and private industry) in the Northwest Zone will go directly to stage II restrictions,” Forest Service Spokesman Willie Sykes wrote in a Thursday press release. “Governor Steve Bullock also signed an Executive Order on Sunday, July 23, 2017, declaring a fire emergency in the State of Montana.”

According to Resolution 991, the commission was acting in response to “fire managers within the Northwest Montana Region (having) collectively agreed” upon the need for the stage II restrictions. It expressly prohibits “the ignition of any open fire on any forest, range, cropland or County Park” unless within the guidelines of stage II fire restrictions.

According to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website, stage II fire restrictions include the prohibition of building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire; 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 cleared of all flammable materials; and operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails. Exemptions include operating motorized vehicles on designated roads and trails and activities on all land within a city boundary. For a full list including exemptions visit fwp.mt.gov/news/drought/definitions.html.

According to Sykes, under stage I fire restrictions the following acts are prohibited: building, maintaining, attending or using a campfire except within a developed recreation site or improved recreation site (fires solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG Fuels are authorized in areas that are barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the device); and 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 cleared of all flammable materials.

“Stage I fire restrictions are in effect until further notice,” Sykes wrote.

Resolution 991 notes that any person lighting a fire outside stage II fire restrictions “is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be required to reimburse a fire protection agency for costs incurred” for any firefighting activities that result from the illegal fire.