Program Overview
DEQ strives to provide residents every opportunity to burn without endangering public health.
Open burning is regulated because smoke from open burning can have serious health effects if released to the atmosphere during times of poor ventilation.
Open Burning is allowed year-round, however, requirements to obtain a dispersion forecast prior to burning vary by season.
- During the Spring and Summer no DEQ dispersion forecast is needed.
- During the Fall DEQ issues county-wide restrictions based on the dispersion forecast.
- During the Winter opportunities to burn based on dispersion forecasts are granted on a case-by-case basis.
- DEQ reviews the atmospheric conditions daily across the state and determines where it is safe to burn from an air quality perspective and where burning may cause health impacts.
- Certain counties operate their own open burning programs. These counties must be contacted prior to burning.
- The list of these counties are located in the Outdoor Burning Forms & Contacts Section below.
For more information see the “Why Can’t I Burn” brochure.
Open Burning Contacts
Meteorological Services & Smoke Forecasting
(406) 444-0283
Open Burning Permits
(406) 444-1452
Main Line
(406) 444-3490
Winter Open Burning Season
December 1 - February 29
You must have a permit from your local fire control authority and approval from DEQ
We have moved to an on-line submittal process - no forms are required for a winter burn request.
To submit a Winter Burn Request or for more information on Winter Open Burning see below.
Saturday-Monday December 9-11
The parade of storms will continue through early Monday, keeping things unsettled over the Northern Rockies. Before Saturday evening, a short-lived ridge of high pressure will promote the formation of valley inversions, particularly over Northwest Montana. Some of the narrower valleys with new snow could see some areas of dense fog. Ventilation rates will start to fall on Saturday, thanks to lowering mixing heights. The next storm moves into Western Montana Saturday night. It will produce significant snow for the higher terrain, with up to a foot possible for the passes through Sunday night. Many of the valleys will receive a couple of inches from the storm. The end of the parade moves into the area on Monday, as the final disturbance moves into Western Montana. It will provide mostly mountain snow, with additional accumulations likely. Ventilation rates will gradually deteriorate by early next week. A robust area of high pressure will build over the Northern Rockies for much of the coming week. It will induce the formation of valley inversions and stifle dispersion. In this pattern, air quality in some of the narrower valleys could suffer. Stay tuned!
Remember to look for local fire restrictions, which can be found on this DNRC map. Keep track of hourly particulate concentrations at todaysair.mtdeq.us and burn safely!
The DEQ operates a year round open burning program as well as issues air quality open burning permits for specific types of open burning.
This flyer - Open Burning and Air Quality - has general information related to minor open burning.
Open Burning closures and dispersion forecast information is available here.
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
| Type Permit & Instructions |
Season |
Fee |
Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Time Open Burning | Dec. 1 Through Feb. 28 | No Charge | This is done electronically on the website. There are no paper or fillable forms for Winter Burning. |
| Landfill | March 1 Through Nov. 30 | Collected from solid waste management system license | |
| Trade Waste | March 1 Through Nov. 30 | $100.00 | Any solid, liquid or gaseous material resulting from the construction or operation of any business, trade, industry, or demolition project. These permits may be issued for wood or wood byproduct trade wastes generated by any business, industry trade, or demolition project. |
| Firefighter Training | Entire Year | $25.00 | All training exercises held by any fire department must have a permit. |
| Emergency Open Burning | Entire Year | $100.00 | Applicant must contact DEQ for further information before burning. Note: Applicant must demonstrate that the substance to be burned poses an immediate threat to the public health and safety, or plant or animal life, and that no immediate alternative for disposal is reasonably available. |
| Commercial Grower Christmas Tree Waste | March 1 Through Nov. 30 | $100.00 | For the disposal of Christmas Tree waste from the producers of Christmas Trees. |
| Commercial Film Production | March 1 Through Nov. 30 | $100.00 | For open burning conducted during commercial film production. |
| Major Open Burning | Generally March 1 Through Nov. 30 | Greater of $350.00 and fee calculated on previous years burning | Any source that has the potential to emit 500 tons per calendar year of carbon monoxide or 50 tons per calendar year of any other regulated pollutant. Note: DEQ (in cooperation with several other counties), operates a Major Open Burning Smoke Management Program. Please see the Smoke Management Group website. |
County Burning Contacts
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.
| County | Telephone |
|---|---|
| Cascade City-County Health Dept. | (406) 454-6950 |
| Flathead City-County Health Dept. | (406) 751-8144 |
| Lincoln County Health Dept. | (406) 283-2443 |
| Missoula City-County Health Dept. Hotline Northern Missoula County Hotline |
(406) 258-4755 (406) 258-4900 (406) 677-2899 |
| Yellowstone Air Pollution Control | (406) 256-6841 |
Fall Burning Instructions - September 1 through November 30
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 on-line at https://app.egovmt.com/burnpermit/.
After you have obtained a county burn permit:
- 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.
- Determine if you are in the western or eastern burn zone.
- If you are in the western burn zone:
- 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.
- If there are no restrictions for either fire danger or air quality be aware of local conditions and burn smart.
- If you are in the eastern burn zone, be aware of local conditions and burn smart.
- If you are in the western burn zone:
Please call 406-444-3490 if you have any questions.
Winter Open Burning (December 1 – February 28/29)
From the beginning of December through the end of February, open burning requires:
- A permit from your local fire control authority (https://app.egovmt.com/burnpermit/ )
- 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.
Tutorial Videos:
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.
United States Department of Agriculture – Forest ServiceUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service
| PERMIT NUMBER | PERMITTEE | ISSUE DATE |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Name | Date |
| SM-0001 | F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0002 | Department of Natural Resources | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0003 | SPP Montana | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0004 | US Department of Agriculture - US Forest Service | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0005 | National Park Service - Fire Management | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0006 | Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0007 | The Nature Conservancy | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0008 | US Fish and Wildlife Service | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0009 | Bureau of Land Management | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0010 | Sun Mountain Lumber | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0011 | RY Timber, Inc | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0012 | Stimson Lumber Co | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0013 | Flathead Ridge Ranch | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0014 | Green Diamond Resource Company | January 1, 2024 |
| SM-0015 | Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks | January 1, 2024 |
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