Fire restrictions begin on BLM-administered lands in southwest Utah
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CEDAR CITY, Utah – Fire restrictions will begin June 26 for all public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Beaver, Iron, Kane and Garfield counties and continue for Washington County, to help prevent wildland fires during this period of hazardous fire conditions.
Preventable wildfires threaten lives, property, and precious resources. The national average of human-caused wildfires comprises 87 percent of all wildfire occurrences every year. Most of these fires can be prevented.
“We may be looking at another potentially severe fire season if warm, dry and windy weather continues to trend. We want people to continue recreating on public lands and enjoying their time on the Paria River and Color Country Districts,” said Paria River District Manager Harry Barber. “However, we also want the public to be aware that we all share in the responsibility to prevent wildfires. We hope to see that spirit of cooperation again this fire season; working together to help keep our public lands and communities safe and doing our part to mitigate human-caused wildfires, which will better enable firefighting resource availability to fight the naturally-occurring fires when they happen.”
“Preventing human-caused wildland fires is a key part in keeping our public lands available for everyone to explore and enjoy. It impacts our safety, our air quality, the ecosystems we manage and the communities that serve as our nation’s hubs for incredible outdoor recreation adventures,” said acting Color Country District Manager Randy Peterson. “Caring for public lands goes beyond the BLM’s employees. Success is defined by how we work together to manage public lands for our future generations.”
The BLM issued fire prevention orders that outline the restrictions after coordinating with the Color Country Interagency Fire partners, which manage wildland firefighting response throughout southwest Utah and portions of Arizona. Restrictions of specific activities will remain in place until long-term weather forecasts and environmental conditions provide a reduced risk for starting wildland fires.
Prohibited activities include:
1. Campfires, except in permanently constructed cement or metal fire pits provided in agency developed campgrounds and picnic areas;
2. grinding, cutting, and welding of metal;
3. operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order as determined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practices J335 and J350;
4. possession and/or detonation of explosives, including exploding targets, fireworks and incendiary or chemical devices, and pyrotechnics as defined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Binary explosives include, but are not limited to, pre-packaged products consisting of two separate components, usually an oxidizer like ammonium nitrate and a fuel such as aluminum or another metal. Fireworks include, but are not limited to, any device that produces noise, smoke, showers of sparks, or movement by combustion or explosive materials. This definition includes all classes of fireworks.
Individuals violating the prevention order can be subject to fines up to and including $1000 along with associated fire suppression and rehabilitation. All exemptions to the restrictions are obtained through local permits issued by the authorized officer for activities that will not conflict with the purpose of the order and any federal, state, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
Activities that are allowed, include:
1. the use of devices fueled by petroleum or liquid petroleum gas in all locations;
2. the use of campfires in permanently constructed cement or metal fire pits provided in agency developed campgrounds and picnic areas.
3. the use of charcoal burning in developed campgrounds or picnic grounds within permanent fire rings or grills constructed of metal or concrete. In undeveloped camping locations, charcoal must be set in metal pans in areas clear of flammable vegetation within three diameter feet.
Helping prevent devastating fires is everyone’s responsibility. Take extra precaution before venturing out and please be careful with anything that could start a fire.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.