Wildland Fire - Carbon County

Wildland Fire - Carbon County
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Carbon County Wildland Fire
Tom Kohley, Fire Warden
County Personal Services Building
10 Oakes Ave S, Suite G
PO Box 887
Red Lodge, MT 59068
Office Hours
8:30am – 5:30pm, Monday-Friday
P:
(406) 445-7270
C:
(406) 425-2071
[email protected]
Burn Permit
Purchase or activate a burn permit
Wildland Fire
Mission
To coordinate wildland fire prevention, mitigation and suppression activities in the County in partnership with Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Southern Land Office and Fire Bureau.
Current Incidents in Carbon County
Current all-hazard incidents can be found on the
Carbon Alert GIS Hub site
Current Fire Danger in Carbon County
Updated March 13, 2025
FIRE DANGER LEVEL:         MODERATE
FIRE RESTRICTIONS:           NO RESTRICTIONS
BURN PERMIT SERVICE:
OPEN
Fire Danger Levels
LOW
Fire starts are unlikely. Weather and fuel conditions will lead to slow fire spread, low intensity, and relatively easy control with light mop up. Controlled burns may be executed with caution.
MODERATE
Some wildfires may be expected. Expect moderate flame length and rate of spread. Control is usually not difficult and light to moderate mop up can be expected. Controlled burns may be executed with caution with additional safety precautions.
HIGH
Wildfires are likely. Fires in heavy, continuous fuel, such as mature grassland, weed fields, and forest litter, will be difficult to control under windy conditions. Control through direct attack may be difficult but possible, and mop up will be required. Controlled burns should be restricted to early morning or late evening hours with additional safety precautions.
VERY HIGH
Fires start easily from all causes and may spread faster than suppression resources can travel. Flame lengths will be long with high intensity, making control very difficult. Both suppression and mop up will require an extended and very thorough effort. If allowed by County, controlled must be restricted to early morning or late evening hours and safety precautions must be in place.
EXTREME
Fires will start and spread rapidly. Every fire start has the potential to become large. Expect extreme, erratic fire behavior.  BURN BAN IN EFFECT. NO OPEN BURNING ALLOWED.
Fire Restrictions
The purpose of fire restrictions is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires during unusually high fire danger and/or burning conditions.  When enacted by the County Commissioners, restrictions may limit the use of open fires, campfires, welding, explosives or operation of vehicles off designated roads and trails for example.  The County refers to the
Billings Area Restrictions and Closure Plan
which details the coordination and decision-making process used to implement fire restrictions in the area.  The plan is tiered to, and generally follows, the
Northern Rockies Coordinating Group Restriction and Closure plan
.  The three tiers include Stage I, Stage II and Area Closure.
A Carbon County fire restriction exemption can be applied for under Stage I or II Restrictions. The application must be approved by the Fire Chief of the local Rural Fire District. Complete the form below to request an exemption and have it signed by local Fire Chief.
Apply for an exemption
Carbon County Montana - Stage I Fire Restrictions
The following acts are prohibited under Stage I Fire Restrictions
Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or
campfire
except when a campfire is sufficiently bordered by non-flammable material (e.g., steel, rock, cinder block or stone) in both width and height to prevent the spread of fire and escape of embers.
Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
Stage I Exemptions
Persons with an approved Carbon County Fire Restriction Exemption that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.
Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
All lands within an incorporated city or town boundary.
Other exemptions unique to land management agencies within the County.
Definitions
Campfire.  An outside fire 48 inches or less in diameter which is used for cooking, branding, personal warmth, lighting, ceremonial, or aesthetic purposes.  Campfires are open fires, usually built on the ground, from native fuels or charcoal, including charcoal grills.
Carbon County Montana - Stage II Fire Restrictions
The following acts are prohibited under Stage II Fire Restrictions
Building maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
The following acts are prohibited from 1:00 pm to 1:00 am
Operating any internal combustion engine directly within or above flammable wildland fuels
Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.
Using an explosive or explosive ammunition
A one hour foot patrol in the work area is required following cessation of all activities as identified in #3 above.
Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails.
Stage II Exemptions
Persons with an approved Carbon County Fire Restriction Exemption that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
Persons using a device fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
Operating generators with an approved spark arresting device within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the generator.
Emergency repair of public utilities and railroads.
Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.
Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
All lands within an incorporated city or town boundary.
Other exemptions unique to land management agencies within the County.
Agricultural harvesting and off-road activities associated with agricultural operations (e.g., maintaining livestock, watering facilities, etc.). Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to keep harvesting equipment in good working order to prevent sparks, provide spark arrestors, and to carry firefighting tools with them while harvesting and tending to other agricultural operations off-road.
Fireworks. Although an explosive, guidance from the Montana Association of Counties (MACo) and County Attorney have indicated that the County Commissioners do not have the authority to prohibit fireworks.
Burn Permit Service
Carbon County
Resolution
2026-01
has
established the 2026 fire season to run from January 1 through December 31, during which time, no person may conduct open burning
without a valid burn permit.  Open burning is defined as a fire larger than 48 inches in diameter for the purpose of burning debris or clearing fields for personal or agricultural purposes.  The resolution excludes lands administered by federal and state agencies and affidavit lands within the national forest boundary.  Please check with the appropriate land management agency for regulations concerning burning in those areas.
The County uses
burnpermits.com
to issue and activate permits. You must first setup an account and define your burn locations and then activate the permit for the day you intend to burn.  A burn permit costs
$5.00
and is good for the calendar year.  Permits must be renewed annually after the 1st of the year.
Purchase or Activate a Burn Permit
Permits may also be purchased in person at the following locations:
Carbon County Personal Services Building
10 Oakes Ave S, Suite G, Red Lodge
Carbon County Administration Building
17 11th St W, Red Lodge
Carbon County Sheriff’s Office
102 Broadway Ave N, Red Lodge
MSU Extension Office
202 State St, Joliet
Bridger Public Library
119 W Broadway Ave, Bridger
Click
HERE
to open a Google map showing in-person purchase locations
Permitted Active Burns
Fire Suppression
Wildland fire suppression in the County is a cooperative effort. While most suppression activities are done primarily by the nine rural fire districts that exist in the County, we also provide and receive mutual aid from neighboring counties, the State and federal land management agencies.
Seven of the nine fire districts in Carbon County have fire departments while the other two, Roscoe and Whitehorse, contract with fire departments outside of the County to provide fire protection. Red Lodge Fire Rescue is a combination department consisting of paid staff and volunteers while all the other rural fire districts are made up entirely of volunteers.
The County has an ongoing fire control agreement with the State of Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) to suppress fires on State and private lands which is referred to as the
County Co-op
.  The County also has mutual aid agreements in place with its federal partners including the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service. We rely on mutual aid support from our neighboring counties in both Montana and Wyoming.
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Community Wildfire Protection Plans, or CWPPs, are a crucial planning document to prepare communities for wildfire.  Creating and regularly updating a CWPP allows a community to:
Influence how land is managed on federal and state lands for wildfire risk reduction
Identify and map wildfire hazards
Identify effective wildfire risk mitigation strategies
Be eligible for certain nationally competitive grants.
Carbon County’s CWPP was originally drafted in 2005 and revised in 2013, both as part of the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan for the County.  The 2025 revision is currently underway as a stand alone “living document” and is being coordinated in conjunction with Stillwater County.
2005 CWPP (Original)
2013 CWPP (Revision)
2025 CWPP Revision (ArcGIS Hub Site)
County Wildland Fire Training
FIREBOOT CAMP
is Carbon County’s annual wildfire training that brings together volunteer firefighters from Joliet, Bridger, Red Lodge, Fromberg, Belfry, Roberts, Edgar, Absarokee and Laurel along with county road personnel and our state and federal partners. The goal is to promote unified training and firefighter familiarity between mutual aid departments and agencies.
The training involves five, 40-minute instructor-led stations. Firefighters are required to attend the mandatory fire shelter station and may choose from four of the other eight optional stations.
2026 Training Stations
Fire Shelters and entrapment avoidance (mandatory)
Engine pump operations – drafting
Fire weather monitoring
Fireline operations involving heavy equipment
8-Line emergency medical reporting
Apparatus maintenance & troubleshooting
Radio communications
Simulated fire size up
Helicopter / Helitack coordination and safety
Light breakfast and full lunch provided. Raffle prizes for firefighters. Grand prize offered to the department with largest percentage of their department attending.
If you would like to volunteer or donate, please call the Fire Warden at 406-445-7270 or email
[email protected]
Register for Fireboot Camp
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Photos provided by Carbon County Chamber of Commerce / Kaden Harrison