(BOISE) – Starting May 10, Idahoans must obtain a fire
safety burn permit from the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) before starting
certain controlled burn activities. The
permits can be obtained online at burnpermits.idaho.gov or in person at IDL
offices statewide. The burn permit is
free of charge and good for 10 days after it is issued. Permits issued through
the self- service web site are available seven days a week, issued immediately,
and valid immediately.
Idaho law (38-115) requires any person living outside city
limits anywhere in Idaho who plans to burn anything - including crop residue
burning and excluding recreational campfires - during closed fire season to
obtain a fire safety burn permit. Closed fire season begins May 10 and extends
through October 20 every year.
Residents also are encouraged to contact their local city or
rural fire department before burning because some incorporated cities and towns
may require their own burn permit. IDL will not issue burn permits within
districts where local burn bans are in effect. Additionally, residents should
contact the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for burn restriction
information for air quality by calling (800) 633-6247 or visiting http://deq.idaho.gov/air-quality.aspx.
If there are other burning restrictions in effect or
additional or alternate permits required, the burn permit web site will provide
instructions for Idahoans on how to contact those entities.
The burn permit system helps inform fire managers where
burning activities are occurring, reducing the number of false runs to fires
and saving firefighting resources for instances in which they are truly needed.
It also enables fire managers to respond more quickly to fires that escape,
potentially reducing the liability of the burner if their fire escapes.
Contact information for IDL offices where fire safety burn
permits can be obtained in person is available at www.idl.idaho.gov/areas.
