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SALT LAKE CITY — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) West Desert District issued a fire prevention order to announce seasonal fire restrictions. These restrictions apply to BLM-managed lands within the counties of Box Elder, Cache, Juab, Millard, Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch and Weber. 

“Northwestern and central Utah received significant rain this spring resulting in an increase in grass crop compared to last year,” said Michael Gates, BLM West Desert District Manager. “As we move into the hot summer months, we can expect the grass to dry out and result in a rapid increase in fire danger. We ask that all visitors to public lands are diligent in preventing wildfires.”

“Approximately 80 percent of Utah’s population lives within the West Desert District,” said Gary Bishop, BLM Utah Deputy State Fire Management Officer. “Rapid expansion of our urban areas has increased our wildland urban interface, thereby increasing the potential for wildfire to impact communities. Wildfire prevention should be a top priority for all Utahns to ensure the protection of human lives, property, resources and the landscapes we love in this great state.”  

From June 15 until rescinded, the fire prevention order prohibits:

• The use of steel component ammunition
• The use of steel component targets
• Sky lanterns or similar devices
• Operating off-highway vehicles without spark arresters

The BLM asks target shooters to know their ammunition before visiting public lands. Ammunition packaging may not indicate the presence of steel in the bullet, especially in military surplus and foreign-made ammunition. To determine whether a bullet contains steel, test with a magnet. Orange or red painted tips may indicate tracer ammunition which can ignite flammable substances, such as dry grass, upon contact. 

BLM statewide fire prevention order, UT 910-21-001, prohibits fireworks, explosives of any kind and tracer and incendiary ammunition year-round.

To prevent a wildfire, the public should:

• Fully extinguish campfires and avoid building fires when winds are 15 mph or higher
• Avoid target shooting in hot, dry, and windy conditions
• Choose a target shooting backstop free of rocks and dry grass – any bullet hitting rocks can create a spark
• Avoid cutting, welding or grinding of metal in areas of dry vegetation
• Keep trailer chains lifted above the ground – dragging chains can create sparks
• Avoid parking a hot vehicle over dry grass
• Maintain tires, wheels and bearing on trailers to prevent mechanical failure
• Check off-highway vehicle exhaust system yearly to ensure the spark arrester is mounted securely and is qualified
• Fully extinguish and properly dispose of cigarettes

BLM prevention orders can be viewed online at https://go.usa.gov/xJUac, and on signs where BLM-managed lands are accessed. The public is reminded to use caution and be prepared to prevent wildfires when visiting public lands. Please keep water, a shovel and a fire extinguisher handy during the dry summer months. In the event of a fire, please call 911.

For more details on the prevention order, contact Nathan Hunter, West Desert District Fire Prevention and Education Specialist, at 801-320-8300.