Monday, February 22, 2010

Gallatin County Announces Online Burn Permits

BOZEMAN, MT. - The citizens of Gallatin County will soon be able to obtain a burn permit online without standing in line or even leaving home.

The Gallatin County Burn Permit service - found at http://www.burnpermits.mt.gov/ - will be available starting March 1st at 8am and will provide citizens with instant access to county burn permits. Permit holders will be able to add multiple burn locations to a single permit and can even print their permit at home or send it to themselves electronically by entering an email address.

The online service will allow citizens to purchase a burn permit using a debit/credit card or an electronic check. Citizens will also be able to activate their permit online or by calling the county's new automated phone system at 1-877-306-BURN (2876). To activate a permit, the permit holder simply enters the start and stop times of their burn and county fire and emergency personnel are immediately notified of the burn. An interactive map will also be available to allow citizens and county personnel to view all current burn activity within the county.

"This online service will streamline the burn permit process for the citizens and will create huge efficiency gains for the county," Fire Chief Brett Waters, Central Valley Fire District, said. "We anticipate a significant reduction in non-emergency call volume which will allow fire personnel to better focus on true emergencies."
Burn permits will be available online at http://www.burnpermits.mt.gov/ starting March 1st at 8am. Citizens may also purchase a burn permit in person at the following locations: Hebgen Basin Fire District/West Yellowstone Station, Central Valley Fire Station 1, Big Sky Fire Station 1, Manhattan Fire Station, Bozeman Fire Station 1 and the Three Forks Library. Burn permits will cost $15.00 each and can be used throughout the entire 2010 burn season.

The Gallatin County Burn Permit Service is the result of an alliance between state and county government and the private sector. It was cooperatively developed and is supported by Gallatin County, the Montana Department of Administration's Information Technology Services Division, and Montana Interactive, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment provider NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV).

Contact:  Brett Waters, Gallatin County Rural Fire Chief (406) 388-4480

Click Here for Burn Permit Flyer