State Burn Permits required May 10 – October 20

Friday May 7, 2021

(BOISE) - The number of burn permits issued averages about 18,000 a year in Idaho, and that number continues to rise. Burn permits are required May 10 - October 20 each year and issued by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL).

Who needs a permit: Idaho law (38-115) requires any person planning to burn outside city limits within Idaho, including crop residue burning, to obtain a state burn permit during this period, referred to as closed fire season.  A burn permit must be obtained before starting debris burning activities and you must have it with you when burning. Other laws related to open burning in Idaho also apply. Permits are free and good for 10 days. Campfires do not require a burn permit.

How to get a burn permit: Visit the self-service website burnpermits.idaho.gov.  Permits are available seven days a week and are immediately issued and valid. No matter where you want to burn and what you plan to burn, the system will either issue you the burn permit you need on the spot or tell you which entity to contact for alternate or additional permits. A permit may also be issued by your local IDL office.

Why permits are important: Obtaining the burn permit lets fire managers know where permitted burning is occurring so they can respond more quickly to a controlled burn if it escapes, potentially reducing the liability of the burner. You will also help prevent false runs to fires, saving firefighting resources for instances where they are truly needed.

Other resources: Using burnpermits.idaho.gov also connects you to tips for safe burning practices and informs you of current fire restrictions in place statewide. Information on burn restrictions based on air quality can be found by calling Idaho Department of Environmental Quality at (800) 633-6247 or by visiting http://www2.deq.idaho.gov/air/AQIPublic/Map/OutdoorBurn.

About IDL Fire: Idaho Department of Lands Fire Management (IDL Fire) in partnership with two Timber Protection Associations and with the support of rural volunteer fire departments and other partners, are responsible for fire suppression and prevention on more than 6 million acres of state and private forests and rangelands in Idaho. IDL Fire focuses on initial attack with the goal of keeping fires at 10 acres or less. IDL Fire protects and preserves important endowment timber assets that help fund Idaho schools and other beneficiaries, as well as millions of acres of private forestland.