Permit needed for winter open burning season

Winter open burning season takes place between Dec. 1 and the last day of Feb. and is permissible in the western burn zone by permit only. 

To burn in the western burn zone during the winter season, submit a wintertime open burning request form to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).  

Montana’s western burn zone includes the following counties: Lincoln, Flathead, Sanders, Lake, Mineral, Missoula, Powell, Lewis & Clark, Ravalli, Granite, Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, Jefferson, Broadwater, Beaverhead, Madison, Gallatin and Park (south of I-90 only). 

Smoke from open burning can get trapped in Montana’s mountain valleys during wintertime inversions causing poor air quality. For this reason, DEQ reviews atmospheric conditions daily during winter months to determine when and where burning can be complete without degrading air quality. 

Open burning is defined as outdoor burning of materials such as slash piles, yard or field waste. It does not include small recreational fires, flares or construction site heaters.

Requests need to be submitted by 4 p.m. for burns planned for the following day. For weekend burns, please submit your request Friday, prior to 3 p.m. Burners will be notified via email the day prior to the burn whether the burn has been approved based on forecasted ventilation rates and air quality. Burn requests are valid for up to three days per burn. 

If more burning is needed beyond three days an additional burn request will need to be submitted. An instructional video on DEQ’s website details how to submit a winter burn request.

Additional regulations may apply to burning in Lewis and Clark, Yellowstone, Flathead, Missoula, Lincoln and Cascade counties and all tribal lands. 

Please contact your local air quality agency before submitting a burn request form to understand any local air quality related open burning rules or restrictions.

Only clean, untreated wood and plant material may be burned. 

Do not burn: food wastes, plastics, wood that has been coated, painted, stained, or treated, dead animals or animal droppings, rubber materials, chemicals, asphalt shingles, tar paper, hazardous wastes or structures containing these materials.

The DEQ website has information about what materials can and cannot be burned, frequently asked questions about open burning, state-issued major open burning permits, and local contact information. 

For more information, visit: burnclosures.mt.gov.