As autumn settles across our Valley, cooler mornings and larch needles remind us of the shifting seasons. For many rural land owners and farmers, fall also signals the return of an essential land management task: clearing slash, natural vegetation burning season.
Following the annual summer fire closure during July, August, and September, open burning officially resumes across Flathead County on October 1, 2026—weather and wind permitting.
While outdoor burning remains an effective tool to dispose of forest debris and reduce wildfire hazards around our homes, it carries a shared community responsibility. Uncontrolled outdoor burning remains a leading cause of wildland fire calls in our valley. Smoke can settle heavily into the valley floor during atmospheric inversions, directly impacting neighbors with respiratory conditions.
Balancing property maintenance with public safety and clean air comes down to a straightforward process that every resident must follow.
Understanding the Permit & Daily Activation Process
Flathead County utilizes the Montana Burn Permit and Notification Service, designed to keep our communities safe, our first responders informed, and local air quality monitored.
- Permits Are Required for Natural Vegetation: A burn permit is required whenever lighting an outdoor fire to consume natural vegetation and woody debris. (Small recreational campfires measuring under 48 inches in diameter and height do not require a permit.)
- One Permit Per Calendar Year: Burn permits are valid for the calendar year (January 1 through December 31). If you already secured a 2026 permit earlier this spring, that same permit remains valid this fall. If you are new to the system or haven't acquired one yet this year, you can obtain yours online at app.egovmt.com/burnpermit or via the Flathead City-County Environmental Health portal.
- Save Your Permit Number: When you obtain your permit, save the number—print a copy, screenshot it on your phone, or email it to yourself. If you misplace your permit number, please contact Environmental Health directly rather than generating a duplicate permit, which adds administrative overhead and taxpayer expense.
- Activate Before You Strike a Match: Holding a permit does not give an automatic green light to burn on any given day. Every single day you intend to burn, your permit must be activated.
- Activations can be done online or by calling the toll-free automated line at 1-866-207-2577.
- The notification system coordinates with fire managers and air quality forecasters. If high winds elevate fire danger or stagnant atmospheric conditions trap smoke in the valley, activations will be closed for the day. If the system says burning is closed, lighting a fire is prohibited.
Tips for Clean, Safe, and Neighborly Burning
To minimize fire risk and keep our valley’s air breathable:
- Burn Only Clean, Dry Vegetative Debris: Only clean, natural woody material and yard waste may be burned. Burning garbage, painted or treated wood, plastics, tires, petroleum products, or construction demolition is illegal under Montana air quality regulations.
- Watch the Weather & Ventilation: Even on days when burning is permitted, pay close attention to local wind gusts. Never light a pile during gusty conditions, and plan your burns so piles consume down before evening inversions set in.
- Maintain Defensible Space Around Piles: Clear a wide perimeter down to bare mineral soil around every burn pile. Keep fire-suppression tools—a charged hose, water source, shovel, and rake—on hand at the burn site.
- Stay on Site: Never leave an open burn unattended. A responsible adult must remain present until the fire is completely extinguished and cold to the touch.
- Know Your Jurisdiction: Open burning is prohibited within several municipal city limits across the county. If your property lies within or near city boundaries, check with your local municipal fire department for specific local ordinances before lighting.
Need Assistance?
Flathead County provides support for residents needing help retrieving existing permit numbers or navigating the application process:
- Flathead City-County Environmental Health:
40 11th Street West, Suite 210, Kalispell
Phone: (406) 751-8130 | Email:
- Automated Daily Burn Information & Activation Line:
1-866-207-2577
- Montana DNRC (Kalispell Unit):
655 Timberwolf Parkway, Kalispell | Phone: (406) 751-2240
Good land stewardship protects our properties from summer wildfire risks, but doing so thoughtfully and cooperatively protects our neighbors’ health and safety right now. Before striking a match this October, get permitted, check conditions, and activate your burn.