HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – Although October is now well underway, the threat of wildfires that has lingered Hi-Line for months has yet to subside.
Hill County remains in Stage 1 fire restrictions, and Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Amanda Frickel continues to urge the public to take precautions.
“Soil precipitation and moisture is well below even where we were last year, roughly 20 to 30 percent lower than where we were last year. So it means that it’s still not safe to have fires. It means that green grass is going to burn, leaves are going to burn. And with the wind picking up too, it doesn’t make fighting the fire any easier. And it also aids and fuels the progression of the fire.”
Another ongoing danger is fires originating from vehicles interacting with vegetation.
“It’s dry enough still too, on the sides of the road, we’ve just had a few in the last couple of weeks. Even if vehicles go off of the road or pull off, even in that tall grass, we’ve been seeing fires and car fires.”
Other counties still in Stage 1 include Blaine, Fergus, Liberty and Phillips.
Under Stage 1 restrictions, the only fires that are allowed are those in established pits. Open burning is not allowed and burn permits are not being issued.
“No burning unless it’s in your barbecue or in your pit,” Frickel says. “Make sure you have a way to extinguish it. And if it does get out of hand or get away from you, make sure you’re contacting your local emergency personnel as fast as possible. That’s one of the main things with successfully fighting fires and getting them put out a lot faster.”
Fires are not allowed at any Fishing Access Sites or Wildlife Management Areas in counties with Stage 1 restrictions.
