Get A Permit

Burn permits are FREE in Lincoln County, MT.

The process to get a burn permit in Lincoln County, Montana varies and depends on your burn location. The first question you need to answer is whether your burn location is located within the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area or not. To determine if your property is within the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area please click here.

Instructions for Burn Permits Located Outside of the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area:

For all burns located outside of the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area, burn permits are required from May 1 through June 30. Please click here to obtain a free burn permit. If you do not have internet access, please contact your Local USFS or DNRC office listed below to get a free burn permit. For more information on other legal times to burn outside of the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area, please see the seasonal schedule page. In addition to a burn permit, you are required by state law to comply with air quality regulations. Please call 1-800-225-6779 before every burn to check the ventilation and burning forecast.

  • Montana DNRC (Libby): (406) 283-3525

  • Libby Ranger District: (406) 293-7773

  • Rexford Fortine Ranger District (Eureka): (406) 296-2536

  • Three Rivers Ranger District (Troy): (406) 295-4693

Instructions for Burn Permits Located Inside of the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area:

For burns located within the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area, you need to determine whether your burn is classified as Residential or Management Burning. See the definitions below to determine which category your burn is classified as.

Residential Burning means any outdoor burning conducted on a residential, farm, or ranch property to dispose of vegetative wastes. 

Management Burning means any person, agency, institution, business, or industry conducting any outdoor burning for any purpose except residential burning, including forestry/wildlife management, licensed landfill management, firefighter training exercises, commercial film productions, or fuel hazard reduction which is designated as necessary by a fire protection agency.

For Residential Burning located within the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area, burning is only allowed from April 1 through April 30. Residential Burning during this timeframe requires a free burn permit. Please click here to obtain a free burn permit. If you do not have internet access, please contact the Lincoln County Health Department at (406) 283-2442 to get your free burn permit. In addition to a burn permit, you are required by state law to comply with air quality regulations. Please call (406) 293-5644 before every burn to check the ventilation and burning forecast.

For Management Burning located within the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area, you also need to know whether your burn is located within the Libby Rural Fire District or not. Please click here to see if your burn location is located within or outside of the Libby Rural Fire District.

For Management Burning located within the Libby Outdoor Burning Control Area, burning is only allowed from April 1 through June 30 and October 1 through October 31. Management burning during this timeframe requires a free burn permit. To obtain a free burn permit for burn locations inside of the Libby Rural Fire District, please contact the Fire Marshall at (406) 283-1883 and for burn locations outside of the Libby Rural Fire District, please contact the Lincoln County Forester at (406) 283-2322. Authorization for all Management burns is also required. Please contact the Lincoln County Health Department at (406) 283-2442 to obtain authorization. 

If you intend to burn, have in place:

  • A current weather forecast for your burn location

  • Water source such as a charged hose, buckets, pond, lake, etc.

  • Fire tools (long-handled shovel, rake, hoe, etc.) or equipment depending on the size of your burn

  • Enough help to extinguish your fire if unexpected changes in fire behavior occur.

  • A burn permit if burning during a timeframe or at a location where one is required. Follow the information provided under the “Seasonal Schedule”.

  • Air Quality compliance

 Remember, you are responsible for any and all fire suppression costs if your fire escapes your control! 

  • Montana State Statute 50-63-103. Liability for offender for damages and costs. Except as provided in 50-63-104, a person who sets or leaves a fire that spreads and damages or destroys property of any kind not belonging to the person is liable for all damages caused by the fire, and an owner of property damaged or destroyed by the fire may maintain a civil suit for the purpose of recovering damages. A person who sets or leaves a fire that threatens to spread and damage or destroy property is liable for all costs and expenses incurred, including but not limited to expenses incurred in investigation of the fire and administration of fire suppression, by the state of Montana, by any forestry association, or by any person extinguishing or preventing the spread of the fire.

Lincoln County, Montana burn regulations can be found at: lincolncountymt.us/environmental-health/air-quality