Burn Restrictions In Place In Mountrail County
On March 7th, 2025, Mountrail County Commission at a regular scheduled meeting signed the 2025 Fire Emergency and Burn Restrictions Declaration. Due to the forecast of continued dry weather, and reaching D-3 and D-4 drought conditions thought Mountrail County and the NW region of North Dakota, the Mountrail County Commission has again signed a Fire Emergency in the county.
The declaration says that Mountrail County has and is expected to endure periods of abnormally dry conditions in spring, summer and fall; and has either sustained or been threatened with fires within the entire County as of the date of the declaration’s adoption.
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.
Dry conditions coupled with plentiful fuel and windy conditions are a recipe for fire dangers which can quickly burn across acres of grassland and anything in the fire’s path.
The restrictions are based off the fire index put out each morning by the North Dakota Homeland Security/Disaster Emergency Service Watch Center is Bismarck. The North Dakota Fire Danger Index is calculated using weather forecasts and fire behavior models. The National Weather Service issues the index daily.
How it’s calculated
The North Dakota Fire Danger Model combines weather forecasts and fire behavior indices.
The model uses information about vegetation types, soil moisture, and topography.
The model also considers factors that contribute to fire likelihood, such as ignitions and weather.
What it indicates
The Fire Danger Index indicates the potential for wildland fires and overall fire activity in a given area. The index has five ratings: low, medium, high, very high, and extreme.
How it’s used
The fire danger index helps guide fire safety and reduce the number of uncontrollable outdoor fires. Local fire services recommend guidelines based on the fire danger index rating.
When to burn
Burning is prohibited when the fire index is in the extreme category. You can contact your local fire officials for specific information on burn bans.
The index calculation is influenced by the forecast high temperature, minimum relative humidity, winds, and even by the amount of cloud cover predicted during the afternoon. Hot, windy, and low humidity days are the most critical because they allow dry grasses to easily ignite, and wildfires to spread rapidly.
Mountrail County citizens and visitors are reminded to check the index daily before any type of burning. You must call the Mountrail County Dispatcher Center at 701-628-2975 before you do any type of burning for possible additional fire restrictions placed by the local fire department districts.
The Fire Index can be found at https://www.ndresponse.gov/burn-restrictions-fire-danger-maps. Upi may go to ndresponse.gov for all emergency information in the state of North Dakota no matter your location. You also may call the Mountrail County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 701-628-2975.
As a reminder, you must call the Mountrail County Sheriff’s Office at 701-628-2975 before you conduct any type of burning. Failing to do so is punishable by law. The penalty for violation is a Class B Misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine.