Closed fire season ends in ID

BOISE — Closed fire season, the five months of the year when state burn permits are legally required in Idaho, ended Monday, Oct. 20.

Burn permits are normally required from May 10 to Oct. 20 and are issued by the Idaho Department of Lands. State law requires anyone planning to burn outside city limits within Idaho, including crop residue burning, to obtain a state burn permit during the closed period. Many local and county ordinances may require burn permits year-round.

For most debris burning, the Idaho Department of Lands burn permits are free and issued immediately upon application online at burnpermits.idaho.gov.

Permits for burning crop residue are issued by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and are also available online at www2.deq.idaho.gov/ air/CRB/.

While temperatures have cooled and precipitation has fallen, there are still dry fuels on the ground. If residents plan to burn debris this fall, the Idaho Department of Lands recommends they continue to use caution whenever burning by following these steps: * Clear all flammable material and vegetation within 10 feet of the outer edge of the pile.

* Keep a water supply and shovel close to the burning site.

* A responsible adult is required by law to be in attendance until the fire is out.

* If it is windy and the surrounding vegetation is very dry, it may be best to wait and burn debris another day.