County lifts burn restrictions

Fire restrictions are no longer in place across Crook County. As of Saturday, Fire Warden Doug Leis and the Crook County Commissioners have rescinded the open burn restrictions that have been in place for the last several months.

Crook County Fire continues to warn residents that caution is necessary when doing outdoor building and it remains each individual’s responsibility to make sure a fire doesn’t get away from them and make sure to monitor any fire that’s started carefully.

Individuals can still be held liable for damages and suppression costs if a fire does escape.

Citizens are also asked to please call dispatch at 283-1225 when planning to burn, to ensure the fire department is not called to respond to your controlled fire.

However, restrictions do still remain in place for the time being on the Black Hills National Forest. Fire restrictions were imposed in August across the Bearlodge Ranger District and have not yet been lifted, although forest officials will be revisiting them later this week.

Fires are still prohibited outside permanent fire pits or grates installed by the U.S. Forest Service. Smoking must take place in an enclosed vehicle or building, developed recreation site or while stopped in a barren area at least three feet in diameter, while chainsaws must have a spark arrestor and be used in the presence of a fire extinguisher and shovel and torches with open flames must be used in cleared areas ten feet in diameter with a fire extinguisher on hand.

Explosives, including fuses, blasting caps, rockets, exploding targets, tracers, incendiary ammunition and fireworks, are prohibited.

According to the U.S. Forest Service fire restrictions guide, “Possessing, discharging or using any kind of fireworks or pyrotechnic devices is prohibited on the Black Hills National Forest year-round, regardless of weather conditions or holidays”.

Fire restrictions also remain in place for the Bureau of Land Management, with similar rules in place to those implemented by the Forest Service. Fireworks, incendiary or tracer ammunition, the use of explosives of any kind, burning of hazardous or explosive material and off-road vehicles without spark arresters are prohibited all year round.