Yes, you can. Recreational fires and campfires are legal in the City of Bozeman and do not require a permit. However, you need to follow some basic rules.

Recreational fires can't be located within 25 feet of a structure (including decks and fences) or other combustible material unless they are in an approved container designed for this purpose, like as a screened appliance. Even in an approved container, they still must be at least 15 feet from structures. You must eliminate any condition that could cause a fire to spread within 25 feet of a structure before lighting the fire. The fire cannot be more than three feet in diameter and must be two feet or less in height.

All recreational fires must be constantly attended until the fire is extinguished. A fire extinguisher or a garden hose must be available for immediate use. Make sure that the fire is completely extinguished when you are done enjoying it.

Do not burn anything other than a good dry wood. Recreational fires that would be offensive or objectionable because of smoke or odor emissions are not allowed.

What may be enjoyable for you may not be enjoyable for your neighbors. Be a good neighbor and don't use a recreational fire on breezy days that will spread smoke through the neighborhood.

Yes. Each shift has firefighters certified in car seat installation who can help install your car seat(s) and teach you more about the seats. Your child's safety is important to our firefighters. Please make sure you can install it correctly or ask for a certified installer's help if you need it.

To schedule a car seat installation, please call Bozeman Fire Station 1 at 406-582-235.

Bozeman Fire does not offer an Emergency Medical Technician course. Locally, the Montana State University Extension Service offers one. If you are not local to Bozeman, contact your local community or technical college for available classes.

You can purchase a burn permit at Burn Permits -- Gallatin County. You can also purchase a permit at Bozeman Fire Station 1, located at 300 East Oak Street, on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have questions and would like to speak to a Bozeman Fire official, please contact us at 406-582-2350.

 It's possible! The Fire Department can use vacant structures to conduct training. From single-family residences to large commercial structures, these buildings provide excellent training opportunities for firefighters.

For more information, please contact the Bozeman Fire Department Training Division at 406-582-2350.

 Yes! We have a medium-sized community room that can hold up to 24 people at Fire Station 3 (1705 Vaquero Lane). The room includes tables, chairs, whiteboard, projector screen (no projector), sink, vending machines, and bathrooms. To reserve this room, please call the Fire Department administrative office at 406-582-2350 during normal business hours (Mon-Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Please also review the additional information at our Community Room Reservations page.

The fire alarm system in your apartment building may not be monitored or automatically notify the emergency dispatch center. If fire alarms go off, immediately leave the building and call 911. Tell the 911 dispatcher your name, the location of the emergency, and what the emergency is.

The fire doors in your building are there to save your life. They keep fire in a hallway or another floor from getting into your apartment. Your building’s stairway and your hallway are like chimneys in a fire. The fire will travel from one floor to another unless the fire, stairway, and hallway doors on your floor are closed. The next time you see a fire door propped open, close it. The life you save may be yours!

As of December 2017, the Bozeman Fire Department's Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating is a 2.  Countrywide, there are almost 47,000 communities graded by ISO Commercial Risk Services. Less than 2% of these communities are rated a "Class 2," and only a few departments in Montana are a Class 2 or higher.

ISO’s Public Protection Classification Program plays an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies. In fact, most U.S. insurers use PPC information as part of their decision-making when determining what business to write, coverages to offer, or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance.

PPC is important to communities and fire departments as well. Communities whose PPC improves may get lower insurance prices. PPC also provides fire departments with a valuable benchmark for their work.

ISO’s Public Protection Classification program evaluates communities according to a uniform set of criteria defined in the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). These criteria incorporate nationally recognized standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association and the American Water Works Association.

Utilizing the FSRS, ISO objectively reviews the fire suppression capabilities of a community and assigns a Public Protection Classification on a scale from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents exemplary fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire suppression program does not meet minimum recognition criteria. Assuming all other factors are equal, the price of property insurance in a community with a good PPC is lower than in a community with a poor PPC.

THE FSRS allocates credit by evaluating the following three major features:

1. Fire Alarm and Communication System – This review accounts for 10% of the total classification and focuses on a community’s facilities and support for handling and dispatching fire alarms, specifically 911 call handling.
2. Fire Department – This review accounts for 50% of the total classification and focuses on things like engine companies, distribution of fire stations and fire companies, and department manning and training.
3. Water Supply System – This review accounts for 40% of the total classification and focuses on the water supply a community uses for fire suppression.

The Class 2 ISO rating places Bozeman in the top 3.4% of rated departments in the nation. In 2007, the Bozeman Fire Department approached the community and asked for support for a mill levy to fund staffing for Fire Station Three, as well as an ongoing Capital Equipment and Replacement Program. One of the stated objectives in passing the fire mill levy was to improve Bozeman’s insurance rating. This reclassification achieves that goal. Passing of the mill levy had a direct impact on the fire department’s ability to secure this new ISO rating. Internal improvements to the fire department training, record keeping programs, and the new and updated Gallatin County 911 communications center also contributed to this rating. Additional upgrades to the City of Bozeman’s water distribution system had positive impacts to the water supply system portion of this evaluation.

The City of Bozeman would like to thank the citizens of Bozeman for their continued support in investments to our infrastructure. These investments have had a direct impact on improving our ISO rating and potentially lowering insurance costs for many in our community.

For information on how this rating impacts your insurance rates specifically, please contact your individual insurance carrier. For more information on the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, contact ISO by calling them at 1-800-444-4554.

 Tours of Bozeman Fire Stations are available upon request. All ages are welcome for these tours, though we generally prefer ages five and up. Station tours last about 20-45 minutes and include viewing the firehouse, fire engine, and firefighting equipment, as well as talking to firefighters about their job and fire safety.

Please call the Fire Station administrative department at 406-582-2350 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to schedule your group for a tour. Our Administrative Coordinator will find a time, day, and location that suits your schedule and the department's availability.

All fire stations remain "in-service" during tours. Fire companies may need to respond to emergencies at any time. If they do, the tour will have to end, and your group will have to leave the station. Thank you for your understanding.

No. On May 2, 2023, the Bozeman City Commission passed Ordinance 2134, which prohibits the sale and discharge of fireworks in city limits. It also prohibits the discharge of fireworks in county enclaves, which are areas wholly surrounded by Bozeman city limits.

Handheld sparklers are the only firework allowed to be sold or discharged in city limits.

Please call Gallatin County Dispatch at 406-582-2000, option 4 with any fireworks complaints. Anyone found to be selling or discharging fireworks shall have their fireworks confiscated, is subject to a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, subject to a $500 fine. 

Combustible construction includes:

1) Balconies made of wood or wood composite materials

2) Wood composite material that has a flame rating attached to wood joists

3) Siding made of wood or wood composite materials

4) Non-cementitious siding that mimics stucco, like EFIS

The required 10-foot separation from combustible construction applies to each side and the space above the grill. 

There are many reasons why you might see grills on other balconies. For example:

• The balcony could be constructed of non-combustible materials such as concrete or steel and placed away from combustible construction. The construction itself could be non­combustible.
• The balcony could be protected with an automatic fire sprinkler system.
• The grill could be utilizing a smaller 2.5-pound propane bottle. There are conversion kits to use the small bottles on larger grills.
• You could be looking at a town home or single-family dwelling where they are allowed.
• You could be looking at the grill itself. Storage of the grill without the propane bottle is allowed.
• The grill could be used illegally. Bozeman Fire has a limited staff and cannot patrol every multi-family complex within the city. If you need to report an issue, please call us at (406) 582-2350.