Burn Restrictions In Place In Mountrail County
On March 3, 2026, Mountrail County Commissioners at a regular scheduled meeting signed the 2026 Fire and Burn Restrictions Declaration. Some parts of North Dakota have already had large wild land fires in 2026. With not much snow cover, the county could be faced with an earlier fire season than normal.
The declaration says that the county and state have and are expected to continue to endure periods of dry conditions with significant vegetative fuels available to burn. This, combined with warm temperatures and windy conditions, make the chance of a fire burning out of control very high.
It continues to say that all available resources remain committed to protecting life and property, and the impact of fires could threaten the health, well-being and safety of citizens in Mountrail County. The cost of response and inordinate equipment wear may be far in excess of available County resources.
Changes in the declaration from last year include clarification of off-road vehicle travel so that there is no question on ranchers and farmers being able to attend to their livestock as in feeding, water and fence repairs. Also changed was the use of gas fireplaces and grills/smokers which are now allowed when properly placed on a non-organic surface at least fifteen feet away from vegetation, but there is still a need for a fire extinguisher or water available, depending on the fire index. This change was requested for camping areas in the region and state, so campgrounds and resort areas will still be able to function at a somewhat normal ability.
People looking for the fire index on any given day can look at the ND Response webpage (https://ndresponse/gov) and click on the North Dakota Fire Declarations and Burn Restriction Map. They will be able to click on the county they are in or the county they want information about, and it will give them the information and phone numbers to call for more information if needed. Different counties have different restrictions in place.
As a reminder, if you plan to have a controlled burn, you must first contact the Mountrail County Sheriff’s Office at 701-628-2975 and provide the information on what you will be burning, who is conducting the burn, and where it will take place before you start burning. The Mountrail County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center will then check the current rating and conditions allowing or not allowing the burn to take place. Cities and communities, and campgrounds and resorts, have the right to place their own restrictions depending on the local conditions as they see needed. Failure to provide proper notice is a Class B misdemeanor, with a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail, and/or a $1500 fine.
Fire danger ratings are calculated using inputs such as long-term climate information; short-term weather patterns; and indicators such as relative humidity, temperature, wind speed, and fuel conditions on the ground such as how dry the grasses are, for example. Weather information inputs to the fire danger ratings are provided by the National Weather Service, while fuel conditions are based on a variety of inputs and modeling.
The ratings are low, moderate, high, very high, and extreme. Additionally, there are fire weather watches and red flag warnings that may be issued for heightened public awareness of critical fire weather conditions. The fire danger ratings are indicative of the threat of fire growth, not necessarily the threat of fire starts. Should a fie ignite, it is more likely that it will spread rapidly during higher fire danger rating days.
Jurisdictions may put forth a Fire Emergency Declaration. These are similar to any emergency declaration and are issued by the appropriate authority such as a mayor, council, or governor. This is usually done to allow access to special emergency funds for response activities. These declarations can also serve to heighten public awareness of the threat. Fire Emergency Declarations are necessary to have in place in order to enforce Burn Restrictions.
Burn restrictions are legal restrictions on outdoor fire activities that are usually tied to the fire danger ratings. Counties, tribes, state, federal land management agencies, and even some cities can decide what restrictions should be in place for each level of the fire danger ratings. Restrictions may change throughout the day. Always check right before you intend to burn. Calling the sheriff’s office is a vital step in the process.