Mountain Home area, Glenns Ferry, King Hill burn bans lifted

Burn bans have been lifted in the cities of Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry, the Mountain Home Rural Fire District and the King Hill Rural Fire District.

Although the bans have been lifted, burn permits are still required for all controlled burns. The permits are free but help prevent fire crews from being dispatched unnecessarily to reports of smoke. In the Mountain Home area they are available on the city website or by contacting the fire department.

Anyone who had obtained a permit prior to the bans being put in place may exercise them now, Bermensolo said, but permittees are reminded to follow the basic rules:

* Call the county dispatch office at 587-2100 to alert them as to the location and time of the controlled burn.

* Have someone in attendance at the fire at all times.

* Have sufficient water available to reasonably prevent the fire from getting out of control.

Most of the burn bans in the area were imposed in early June, with the state and federal lands following shortly thereafter, and eventually the county passing a resolution to ban controlled burns on county lands as well. Those state, county and federal land restrictions are expected to be lifted in the next few weeks.

Mountain Home Fire Chief Alan Bermensolo noted that he lifted the bans in his jurisdiction "because of the rainstorm the other night, the higher humidity and the lower temperatures during the day.

"I want to thank all those people who had patience (concerning the bans) during this very dry season this summer. By lifting the ban we can give people a chance to do a little clean-up before the weather gets bad. We only ask that they be careful. We don't need any more (uncontrolled) fires this year."