Helena — Spring/summer open burning season begins Sunday, March 1, 2015 and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reminds people that only clean, untreated wood and plant material can be burned legally.
It is illegal to burn, among other things, food waste, plastics, wood that has been coated, painted, stained, or treated, dead animals or animal droppings, rubber materials, chemicals, asphalt shingles, tar paper, pathogenic or hazardous wastes, and standing or demolished structures containing prohibited materials.
DEQ strongly recommends that people contact their county health departments before they start open burning to find out if there are any county air quality requirements that apply to them, especially in Lewis and Clark, Missoula, Lincoln, Flathead, and Yellowstone counties.
All burners should contact local fire control authorities before open burning any time of the year to get information on local fire safety requirements, and to notify authorities of the location and time of their burns.
For more information on air quality related rules for open burning, open burning seasons, and state permit requirements please see DEQ’s website at www.deq.mt.gov.
Media Contacts
Lisa Peterson
Public Information Officer
DEQ Permitting and Compliance Division
406-444-2929
Rhonda Payne
DEQ Air Resources Management Bureau
(406) 444-5287
repayne@mt.gov
