War on Pallets

The Custer-Gallatin National Forest implements a new pallet ban.

Despite the Forest Service’s best efforts, the pyromaniacs of the Gallatin Valley and beyond can’t seem to wrap their heads around one simple fact: pallet fires are illegal. Year after year, Forest employees and volunteers spend hours cleaning up the messes made by these reckless hooligans. And who knows how much money is spent at tire shops, as hapless drivers suffer the aftermath of the illicit infernos.

Admittedly, snagging pallets from behind big-box stores, driving into the woods, and partying the night away beside a raging bonfire has been something of a forbidden rite of passage for Bozeman teens and MSU freshmen since, well, the first beat-up pallet was stashed behind a warehouse. But with our burgeoning population, the problem has reached crisis proportions, and it's simply no longer an option, tradition be damned.

Debris left behind from these fires can puncture the hooves of packhorses and the paws of dogs, not to mention pop the tires of snowplows and Forest Service rigs. The end result is that trailheads and campgrounds are often left uncleared until the sites can be properly cleaned and made safe.

To put an end to pallet fires once and for all, the Bozeman Ranger District has banned the possession of pallets in their jurisdiction of the Custer-Gallatin National Forest. Gone are the days of plausible deniability, as having a pallet in your vehicle for any reason is strictly forbidden—no ifs, ands, or buts. The ban went into effect on January 1st, and any person or organization found in violation can be subject to citations, penalties, even possible jail time.

So, don’t be an a-hole—ditch the pallets and go cut some firewood like the rest of us.

To learn more about the ban, go https://fs.usda.gov/alerts/custergallatin and click on the "Pallet Possession Ban" link on the "Alerts & Warnings" menu.