This is a general summary, not legal advice. Rules change. Always confirm your property’s requirements with Missoula Public Health.
Why Missoula regulates wood burning
The Missoula valley traps cold air and smoke in winter. Wood stoves and fireplaces have historically been the largest source of winter air pollution here, so the city and county have regulated them since the 1980s.
The Missoula Air Stagnation Zone
The zone covers the City of Missoula and roughly four miles around it, including East Missoula, Lolo, the Rattlesnake, Grant Creek and the Wye. Inside the zone:
- No new wood stoves. Installing wood stoves has been prohibited since 1994. Only pellet stoves and gas appliances may be installed.
- Removal at sale. When a property changes ownership, stoves that exceed the emission limits must be removed, and a certificate of compliance is filed with the county.
- Air alerts. Burning is restricted during air pollution alerts.
Not sure if your address is inside the zone? Missoula Public Health has a woodstove map that shows the rules for individual properties.
Outside the zone
Elsewhere in Missoula County, only EPA-certified, clean-burning devices may be installed, and an installation permit is required. Seeley Lake has its own wood stove rules. Communities in Ravalli County, such as Florence and Stevensville, fall under different rules entirely.
What this means for your chimney
- Keeping a legal stove or fireplace? Annual inspection and cleaning still apply.
- Selling a home in the zone? Sort out stove removal early so it doesn’t delay closing.
- Replacing a stove? A gas insert or pellet stove usually needs a new liner.
- Not burning at all? The chimney still needs a cap and sound masonry and flashing to keep water out.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to burn wood in Missoula?
Not across the board. A legally installed existing stove or fireplace can generally still be used, but burning is restricted during air pollution alerts, new wood stoves can’t be installed inside the Air Stagnation Zone, and older stoves must be removed when a property sells. Rules differ outside the zone.
Can I install a new wood stove in Missoula?
Not inside the Missoula Air Stagnation Zone. Only pellet and gas appliances may be installed there. Outside the zone, EPA-certified devices may be installed with a permit from Missoula Public Health.
Do I have to remove my wood stove when I sell my house?
Inside the Air Stagnation Zone, stoves that exceed the emission limits must be removed when the property changes ownership, and a certificate of compliance is filed with the county. Pellet stoves, masonry fireplaces and ducted wood furnaces are among the devices that may remain. Check your property on Missoula Public Health’s woodstove map.
What can I replace a wood stove with?
Inside the zone, a gas or pellet stove or insert. Your existing chimney will usually need an inspection and a properly sized liner.
Sources: Missoula Public Health: Woodstoves · Air Stagnation Zone History