Montana § 7-33-2205 Establishment Of Fire Season -- Permit Requirements -- Reimbursement Of Costs

Montana Statutes

§ 7-33-2205 — Establishment Of Fire Season -- Permit Requirements -- Reimbursement Of Costs

Montana § 7-33-2205

Title 7LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Ch. 33FIRE PROTECTION

Part 22Rural Fire Protection

This text of Montana § 7-33-2205 (Establishment Of Fire Season -- Permit Requirements -- Reimbursement Of Costs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Mont. Code Ann. § 7-33-2205 (2026).

Text

7-33-2205 . Establishment of fire season -- permit requirements -- reimbursement of costs.

(1)(a) Subject to the provisions of Title 76, chapter 13, part 1, the county governing body may in its discretion establish controlled burning seasons annually, during which, subject to 76-13-121 , a person may not ignite or set a fire, including a slash-burning fire, land-clearing fire, debris-burning fire, or open fire within the county protection area on any residential or commercial property, forest, range, or croplands subject to the provisions of this part without having obtained an official written permit or permission to ignite or set a fire from the recognized protection agency for that protection area.

(b)If a person, entity, or representative of a person or entity has entered into a fire

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

7-33-2205 . Establishment of fire season -- permit requirements -- reimbursement of costs. (1) (a) Subject to the provisions of Title 76, chapter 13, part 1, the county governing body may in its discretion establish controlled burning seasons annually, during which, subject to 76-13-121 , a person may not ignite or set a fire, including a slash-burning fire, land-clearing fire, debris-burning fire, or open fire within the county protection area on any residential or commercial property, forest, range, or croplands subject to the provisions of this part without having obtained an official written permit or permission to ignite or set a fire from the recognized protection agency for that protection area.
(b) If a person, entity, or representative of a person or entity has entered into a fire hazard reduction agreement pursuant to Title 76, chapter 13, part 4, and is complying with that agreement, open burning may be conducted, subject to 76-13-121 , between October 1 and April 30 without obtaining a written permit or permission to set a fire. The person, entity, or representative of a person or entity shall:
(i) obtain air quality and ventilation forecasts before igniting or setting the fire; and
(ii) notify the county of the location of the burn area.
(2) A permit or permission is not needed for recreational fires measuring less than 48 inches in diameter that are surrounded by a nonflammable structure and for which a suitable source of extinguishing the fire is available.
(3) A person who purposely ignites a fire in violation of this section shall reimburse the county governing body or recognized protection agency for costs incurred for any fire suppression activities resulting from the illegal fire, as provided in 50-63-103 .

Legislative History

En. Sec. 3, Ch. 173, L. 1945; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 40, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 337, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 73, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 397, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 28-603(1); amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 273, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 492, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 499, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 305, L. 2011.