Fire safety burn permits now required

With the weather changing into summer-like conditions, it is time for fire safety burn permits.

The Shoshone County Fire Chief's Association has announced that closed fire season is now in effect through Oct. 20.

Idaho law (38-115) requires any person in Idaho who plans to burn anything during closed fire season to obtain a fire safety burn permit.

Permits are free of charge and can be obtained online at www.burnpermits.idaho.gov, over the phone or in person throughout Shoshone County. Permits are not required for recreational campfires.

The fire safety burn permit system helps inform fire managers where burning activities are occurring, reducing the number of false runs to fires and saving firefighting resources for instances in which they are truly needed. It also enables fire managers to respond more quickly to fires that escape.

Please be sure to follow the requirements of your permit and always make sure your fire is completely cold before leaving unattended. It is also recommended to check machine piles burned last fall or winter as they have been known to hold heat well into the fire season.

Please stop by your Idaho Department of Lands office for your closed fire season reminder magnet.

For additional information or questions, please contact your local fire district at the phone numbers below:

• Shoshone County Fire District No. 1: 208-752-1101

• Shoshone County Fire District No. 2: 208-784-1188

• U.S. Forest Service: 208-783-2100

• Idaho Department of Lands, Cataldo: 208-682-4611