Fire officials issue 713 private burn permits in four days - KOTA Territory News

Fire officials issue 713 private burn permits in four days

KOTA Territory fire officials say if you happen to see smoke in the hills in the next few days, don't panic.
 
With the recent snow, the Northern Great Plains Interagency Dispatch Center says people are finally able to burn brush they've had stored up.

With the drought, the agency issued a total of 520 burn permits in November.

In just the last four days, fire bosses have approved a whopping 713 permits in the Black Hills.
 
"With the fact that we've got two to three to four inches of snow without any wind, ... we've got a really good, even snow cover," said Ray Bubb, division chief for Wildland Fire Suppression. "We sure have had a lot of folks who have applied for a permit and are out there burning brush piles on their private property."
 
Area fire leaders say if you are concerned about smoke, it's better to be safe than sorry, so go ahead and call it in.
 
If you'd like to request a burn permit, you can do so here.