Burn permits needed

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

From May 10 to Oct. 20, anyone outside of city limits anywhere in Idaho must obtain a fire safety burn permit if they are planning to burn, the Bonner County Fire Prevention Co-Op wrote in a statement on Wednesday. Recreational campfires are excluded from this requirement.

Permits are free and may be obtained online at www.burnpermits.idaho.gov, or by contacting the Idaho Dept. of Lands office in Sandpoint, (208) 263-5612 or Priest Lake (208) 443-2516. Those burning logging slash on private ground, even within a city or fire district, will need to obtain a permit from the Idaho Dept. of Lands. If burning takes place within city limits, check with local fire department or city hall for permits. Many cities in Bonner County require burn permits.

“Debris burning is one of our most frequent causes of escaped fire, so please take caution when you burn,” the statement read. “Also, burners who lit slash piles in the last six months should check piles to ensure they are dead out.”

For more information, contact the Bonner County Fire Prevention Cooperative at (208) 263-3502.