Open Burning 

The DEQ operates a year round open burning program as well as issues air quality open burning permits for specific types of open burning.  

• The Open Burning and Air Quality flyer has general information related to minor open burning. 
• View open burning closures and dispersion forecast information
• For a complete description of the open burning regulations, please refer to the ARM Title 17 Section 8 Subchapter 6.

The following is a list of the types of permits issued by the Air Permitting Program. A DEQ permit must be obtained for these types of burning before burning begins.  

Type of Burning Permit

County Burning Contacts for Counties running their own Air Quality Program

Specific counties or impact zones have their own open burning programs and must be contacted directly to receive the proper air quality open burning permit prior to burning.  If burning will take place in one of these counties you must first contact the county before any burning takes place.

How To Burn:

1. Obtain a permit from your local county fire control authority

2. On the day of your burn, activate your county permit

3. Be aware of local conditions and burn smart.

During the fall season, burning is regulated by county in the western burn zone. Each day, county restrictions are posted on the Burn Restrictions map and on the ventilation hotline 800-225-6779.

Prior to burning you must obtain a permit from your local county fire control authority.

• Most counties have burn permit applications available online at https://app.egovmt.com/burnpermit/. 

After you have obtained a county burn permit:

1. Ensure that there are no burning restrictions due to fire safety concerns.
   • Montana fire restrictions are posted on this Montana DNRC map.
   • Check with your county government for local burning restrictions.
2. Determine if you are in the western or eastern burn zone.
   1. If you are in the western burn zone:
      1. Check the Burn Restriction map linked above or call the Ventilation Hotline at 800-225-6779 for any air quality restrictions the day of the burn.
      2. If there are no restrictions for either fire danger or air quality be aware of local conditions and burn smart.
   2. If you are in the eastern burn zone, be aware of local conditions and burn smart.

Please call 406-444-3490 if you have any questions.

From the beginning of December through the end of February, open burning requires:​

1. A permit from your local fire control authority (https://app.egovmt.com/burnpermit/ )​​

2. Approval from the Montana DEQ to burn.

If you live in the following counties, please contact the county directly for winter burning:

• Missoula, Cascade, Yellowstone, Flathead, and Lincoln (inside the air pollution control district).

How to Submit a Winter Burn Request

Note: For burns in the upcoming weekend, please have your submissions in prior to 3PM Friday.

Step 1: Submit Request
Click the button below to submit a new Winter Burn Request Form.

Submit Winter Burning Request

Step 2: Receive Approval
Please wait until you receive approval from Montana DEQ before you conduct your burn.

Step 3: Conduct Burn
Once approved, conduct your burn within the guidelines specified in your approval notification.

If you did not complete your burn, please let us know by responding to the survey in your approval notification.

If you have questions or issues with submitting your burn request, please contact us at DEQMTSmoke@mt.gov or call 406-444-3490.

Resources:

• • Winter Open Burn Request Demo (01:57)

Agencies and companies that conduct prescribed burns on large amounts of land are considered Major Open Burners in Montana. Examples include federal and state agencies and large lumber companies.

Major burners typically treat over 5,000 acres of land every year with prescribed fire. More coordination with DEQ’s Air Quality Bureau is required to accomplish large-scale burning with minimal air quality impacts. These sources are regulated under the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM), Chapter 17.8.6 – Open Burning.  

Each year, the Air Quality Bureau issues a Major Open Burn Permit to those entities that meet the definition in ARM 17.8.601.

For  Major Open Burn decisions and locations, visit the  Montana/Idaho Airshed Group page.

The following material may not be disposed of by open burning (see ARM 17.8.604):

• Any waste which is moved from the premises where it was generated unless approval is granted by the department on a case-by-case basis
• Food wastes
• Styrofoam and other plastics
• Wastes generating noxious odors
• Wood and wood byproducts that have been coated, painted, stained, treated, or contaminated by a foreign material
• Poultry litter
• Animal droppings
• Dead animals or dead animal parts
• Tires
• Rubber materials
• Asphalt shingles
• Tar paper
• Automobile or aircraft bodies and interiors
• Insulated wire
• Oil or petroleum products
• Treated lumber and timbers
• Pathogenic wastes
• Hazardous wastes
• Trade wastes
• Any materials resulting from a salvage operation
• Chemicals
• Christmas tree waste
• Asbestos or asbestos-containing materials
• Standing or demolished structures containing prohibited material
• Paint