Montana · Lincoln County
Lincoln County fire restrictions
Montana sets fire restrictions land manager by land manager rather than on one county list, so nobody — including us — can show you a live Lincoln County status on one page. Here's who sets the rules and where today's answer lives.
Who declares restrictions here
Montana fire restrictions are set county by county and agency by agency — commissioners for county land, the DNRC and federal managers for theirs — and coordinated so a county and the forest beside it usually move together. Stage 1 and Stage 2 mean the same ladder here as on federal land.
Where to check Lincoln County today
- Statewide: Montana's fire restrictions map carry the statewide picture.
- Locally: Lincoln County's own channels come first — the courthouse, the fire marshal or emergency manager, the sheriff's office, and the county's website or public notices. A local declaration is posted there before it shows up anywhere else.
- Before you strike a match: your local fire department can tell you in one phone call whether burning is allowed today and whether you need a permit.
Rules change fast in dry weather — confirm with the Lincoln County fire marshal or burn line before you light.
How dry is it out there
Fire restrictions follow dry ground — see this week's drought picture. It's usually the best clue to where tighter rules are headed.
Burning on public land instead? County rules stop at the boundary — check the forest's fire restrictions and what stage 1 and stage 2 mean.