Field burning season begins on reservation

BENEWAH COUNTY — The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Smoke Management Program said 140 acres of bluegrass fields were burned on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation Monday as the field burning season kicked off.

Smoke from burning fields quickly disappeared with good wind conditions, said Marc Stewart, Coeur d’Alene Tribe spokesman.

“It went well today,” Stewart said. “There were 70 acres burned in Kootenai County and 70 acres in Benewah.”

Tuesday’s weather forecast calls for favorable burn conditions, but a decision on burning won’t be made until Tuesday morning, Stewart said.  

Daily burns are expected over the next month.

The scheduled burns are expected to be small in overall scope and will be located in Kootenai and Benewah counties.

The Tribe will partner with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to protect public health and preserve the region’s air quality during the 2008 season.   

Burning is only permitted if weather conditions are favorable. Bluegrass farmers on the reservation need to register their fields and obtain the necessary permits from the Tribe. If air quality and weather conditions are not conducive to burning, it will not be permitted.

Farmers are required to have fire suppression units and heavy equipment available to stop a fire if necessary and work closely with local fire agencies during field burning.

Burning near population centers on the reservation is prohibited. Smoke management staff and volunteers monitor burning activities and report air conditions in Eastern Washington, Montana and the entire North Idaho region.

Last year 35,000 acres were burned, 10,000 of which were in Kootenai County, and field burning went exceptionally well, said Boom George, Smoke Management Coordinator for the Tribe.

Information: www.cdatribe-nsn.gov/smoke burn.shtml or at (208) 686-8101

“It took only 18 days for the farmers to finish burning all their fields and health impacts and citizen complaints were minimal,” she said. “This year the weather has not cooperated. Snow was on the ground so long this winter and spring, some crops were damaged and it will be a challenge for farmers to get their fields burned.”

The Tribe will operate a Web site that provides daily updates about field burning at www.cdatribe-nsn.gov/smoke burn.shtml and a hotline for people to call to register complaints or report problems with burning activities at (208) 686-8101.