Fire safety burn permits required starting May 10

Starting May 10, Idahoans must obtain a fire safety burn permit from the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) before starting certain controlled burn activities. The permits can be obtained online at http://www.burnpermits.idaho.gov or in person at IDL offices statewide.

The fire safety burn permit is free of charge and good for 10 days after it is issued. Permits issued through the self-service web site are available seven days a week, issued immediately, and valid immediately.

Idaho law (38-115) requires any person living outside city limits anywhere in Idaho who plans to burn anything - including crop residue burning and excluding recreational campfires - during closed fire season to obtain a fire safety burn permit. Closed fire season begins May 10 and extends through Oct. 20 every year.

Residents also are encouraged to contact their local city or rural fire department before burning because some incorporated cities and towns may require their own burn permit. IDL will not issue fire safety burn permits within districts where local burn bans are in effect. Additionally, residents should contact the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for burn restriction information for air quality by calling (800) 633-6247 or visiting http://deq.idaho.gov/air-quality.aspx. 

If there are other burning restrictions in effect or additional or alternate permits required, the fire safety burn permit web site will provide instructions for Idahoans on how to contact those entities. The web application was updated in April to make it easier for the public to use. Improvements to the web site include new instructions on how to use an interactive map to find, place or move a burn site location, and new ways for burners to add contact information. The web site also is now compatible with all commonly used web browsers and can print burn permits on a full page.

The fire safety burn permit system helps inform fire managers where burning activities are occurring, reducing the number of false runs to fires and saving firefighting resources for instances in which they are truly needed. It also enables fire managers to respond more quickly to fires that escape, potentially reducing the liability of the burner if their fire escapes.

Contact information for IDL offices where fire safety burn permits can be obtained in person is available at http://www.idl.idaho.gov/areas/index.html.

Fire safety burn permits still required through Oct. 20

The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) is reminding citizens that fire safety burn permits are required through Oct. 20.

The permits can be obtained online at http://www.burnpermits.idaho.gov.

Idaho law (38-115) requires any person living outside city limits anywhere in Idaho who plans to burn anything - including crop residue burning and excluding recreational campfires - during closed fire season to obtain a fire safety burn permit. Closed fire season begins May 10 and extends through Oct. 20 every year. 

 

The fire safety burn permit is free of charge and good for up to 10 days after it is issued. The duration of the permit as well as specific terms and conditions are established at the local fire warden level.

Anyone issued a burn permit is encouraged to print it out and thoroughly read it, to ensure the permittee understands conditions of the permit in their specific location.

The fire safety burn permit system will help inform fire managers where burning activities are occurring, reducing the number of false runs to fires and saving firefighting resources for instances in which they are truly needed. It also enables fire managers to respond more quickly to fires that escape, potentially reducing the liability of the burner if their fire escapes.

Questions about burn permits can be directed to staff in a local IDL office. Contact information for offices is located at http://www.idl.idaho.gov/areas/index.html.

Idaho burn permits required May 10 through Oct. 20

Closed fire season in Idaho begins May 10, and lasts through Oct. 20, each year. By Idaho law (38-115), any person living outside city limits anywhere in Idaho, who plans to burn for any reason—including the use of burn barrels and crop residue burning—during closed fire season, must obtain a fire safety burn permit. Permits are not needed for recreational campfires.

The fire safety burn permit is free of charge and good for 10 days after it is issued. The permit can be obtained online at BurnPermits.Idaho.Gov or at any Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) office.

The responsibility of issuing all fire safety burn permits statewide is under the purview of the IDL. Residents and growers in northern Idaho, generally are accustomed to obtaining the fire safety burn permit along with other necessary permits depending on where and what they plan to burn. Many residents in southern Idaho, especially growers planning to burn fields, may not be aware of the law requiring the fire safety burn permit.

BurnPermits.Idaho.Gov provides tips for safe burning practices, information about fire restrictions and if additional permits are required from other entities. Contact information is provided for local jurisdictions and counties that may have other fire restrictions in place. Additionally, before burning, all burners in Idaho must check with the respective Tribe (if in Reservation boundaries) or DEQ to ensure there are no air quality restrictions in place.

Acquiring a fire safety burn permit informs fire managers where burning activities are occurring, reducing the number of false runs to fires and saving firefighting resources for instances in which they are truly needed. It also enables fire managers to respond more quickly to fires that escape, potentially reducing the liability of the burner if their fire escapes.

The permits also can be obtained in person at any IDL office in the state. Office locations are available on the IDL Website, http://www.idl.idaho.gov, by clicking “Contact.”

Idaho burn permits available online

The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) unveiled a new Web site this month, BurnPermits.Idaho.Gov, enabling Idahoans to obtain fire safety burn permits online.

Idaho law (38-115) requires any person living outside city limits anywhere in Idaho who plans to burn anything - including crop residue burning and excluding recreational campfires - during closed fire season to obtain a fire safety burn permit. Closed fire season begins May 10 and extends through October 20 every year.

The fire safety burn permit is free of charge and good for 10 days after it is issued.

Prior to 2013, the law requiring fire safety burn permits was not consistently applied across Idaho because multiple agencies were issuing the permits using manual processes.

Therefore, many residents in southern Idaho - especially growers planning to burn fields - may not even be aware of the law requiring the fire safety burn permit.

Residents and growers in northern Idaho, on the other hand, generally are accustomed to obtaining the fire safety burn permit along with other necessary permits depending on where and what they plan to burn.

Legally, it has always been the responsibility of IDL to administer 38-115 but because most of the IDL fire protection responsibilities and offices are located in north central and northern Idaho, the IDL delegated the authority to issue the fire safety burn permits south of Riggins to the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, federal agencies that have significantly larger fire protection presence in southern Idaho.

In 2012 fire managers revisited the administration of the law and agreed to move the responsibility of issuing all fire safety burn permits statewide under the purview of the IDL, to provide uniform applicability of the law in all parts of Idaho.

The IDL and cooperating agencies developed the online self service system to bring more consistency to the permitting process and make it easier for all Idahoans to comply with the law.

In addition to issuing IDL fire safety burn permits, the new Web site will provide tips for safe burning practices and information about fire restrictions in place. If there are other burning restrictions in effect or additional or alternate permits required, the Web site will provide instructions for Idahoans on how to contact those entities.

The fire safety burn permit system will help inform fire managers where burning activities are occurring, reducing the number of false runs to fires and saving firefighting resources for instances in which they are truly needed. It also enables fire managers to respond more quickly to fires that escape, potentially reducing the liability of the burner if their fire escapes.