County considers fireworks ban

Lake County Leader

A child playing with fireworks started a grass fire near Ronan Tuesday that spread to an adjacent building.

Ronan, Polson Rural and Charlo Fire departments responded to the fire.

Starting Friday, using fireworks in Lake County will be illegal — for up to 90 days — as the Lake County commissioners and tribal council of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have banned the use of fireworks.  

The tribes already have restrictions on the use of fireworks in tribal wilderness and campgrounds. On Tuesday, the tribal council extended the fireworks ban to all tribal lands including tribal leased land and homes under the Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority. The restrictions went into effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Council members said this has been the driest year anyone could recall and the tightest restrictions were the best course of action to ensure the safety of people and the protection of tribal natural resources, spokesman Rob McDonald said.

City of Polson officials were also pursuing a

ban on the discharge of fireworks on city lands, McDonald said.

Officials are encouraging people to attend a municipal fireworks show like the one in Polson, McDonald said.

The Flathead County commissioners will decide Thursday whether to ban the use of fireworks in the county. Lincoln County banned fireworks on Tuesday.

A Stage One fire alert takes effect Friday in northwest Montana.

Open campfires and other fires are prohibited except in designated sites. Liquid petroleum and propane stoves that can be turned on and off are allowed. Smoking is prohibited outside of vehicles, buildings, and developed recreation sites, unless you are in a 3-foot-diameter area cleared of all burnable vegetation.