Montana State Office
| Contacts: | Ann Boucher 406-896-5011 |
Do Your Part to Prevent Wildland Fires
Much of south central Montana is primed to burn. It would take nothing more than a lightning strike, an unattended campfire, or a hot engine in tall grass to ignite a costly and damaging blaze.
General guidelines include ensuring that your campfire is dead out before you leave it; smoking only in an enclosed vehicle or building, and crushing it out completely; and driving and parking only in areas clear of vegetation. Always stay on roads and trails; cross-country driving is generally not allowed on state and federal lands.
In general, burn permits are required for any open burning other than campfires, but there may be additional fire restrictions in your area. Before burning such things as slash piles, ditches, or fields, please contact your local fire department or sheriff’s office for more information and to obtain any necessary permits.
To report a wildland fire, call 911. For current information on fire restrictions and closures, go to www.firerestrictions.org. To learn more about fire prevention, call the Custer National Forest at 406-657-6200; Bureau of Land Management at 406-896-5013; Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation at 406-247-4400; Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks at 406-247-2940; Carbon County at 406-446-1595; Stillwater County at 406-321-0204; Yellowstone County at 256-2775; or your local fire department or sheriff’s office.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Montana State Office 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101