Stage II fire restrictions in Yellowstone County
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(BILLINGS, Mont.) – The continued hot, dry weather has prompted officials to step up fire restrictions in Yellowstone County.
Stage II Fire restrictions were implemented Friday morning, July 14 on private lands in Yellowstone County. In cooperation with the county, all Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) lands within the county have also been placed in Stage II restrictions.
Under Stage II restrictions, campfires and other fires are prohibited everywhere. Liquid petroleum and LPG stoves that can be turned on and off are allowed. Smoking is prohibited outside of vehicles, buildings, and developed recreation sites, unless you are in a 3-foot-diameter area cleared of burnable vegetation. Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails is prohibited. Operating any internal combustion engine, welding, operating a torch with open flame and using an explosive are prohibited from 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. A 1-hour patrol following cessation of work is required.
In addition, the BLM Billings Field Office will not sell any new firewood permits for any lands it administers until conditions improve. Individuals who already possess a valid BLM issued firewood permit are required to adhere to restrictions in place for the area for which the permit was issued.
Stage I restrictions are in place on private, state, and most federally managed lands in Big Horn, Musselshell, Stillwater, and Treasure counties.
Fireworks are prohibited on state and federal lands all year. Exploding targets available for sale to recreational shooters are also considered a pyrotechnic product and are prohibited year round.
Any individual who causes a wildland fire intentionally or through negligence will be held accountable for damage and suppression costs.
For additional information on fire restrictions, visit the fire restrictions website at https://www.mtfireinfo.org/.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.