Southwest Utah, Northern Arizona to implement fire restrictions
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ST. GEORGE, Utah - Due to another year of on-going drought and record low precipitation levels, Color Country Interagency Fire Managers are implementing fire restrictions beginning June 2 at 12:01 a.m. on the Arizona Strip and all unincorporated county, state and federally administered public lands in the following Utah counties: Washington, Kane, Garfield, and Iron.
“May through August is typically a critical time for southern Utahns as both visitor numbers and fire danger tends to exponentially increase. This year’s outlook is no different,” said Bureau of Land Management Color Country and Paria River Districts Fire Management Officer Josh Tibbetts. “Predictive services warns that southern Utah’s Energy Release Component (ERC) is approaching critical thresholds. The ERC can serve as a good indicator of what we anticipate a fire season could look like across a designated area, as it tracks seasonal fire danger trends well.”
While fire restrictions are in effect, the following acts are prohibited:
- No campfires or open fires outside of agency improved and maintained campgrounds and home sites in southwest Utah. Running water is required on cabins or homesites on unincorporated private land. Devices fueled by liquid petroleum are allowed.
- No discharging of fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices outside of incorporated city limits (city-specific restrictions may apply).
- No shooting of exploding targets or tracer ammunition.
- No cutting, grinding, or welding of metal in areas of dry vegetation. This includes acetylene torches.
- No use of equipment without a working and properly maintained spark arrestor (if required).
- No smoking near vegetation or outside of a developed recreation site, personal vehicle, or building.
- No open fires of any kind are allowed in Zion National Park.
- Campfires are allowed in agency improved and maintained campgrounds at Lava Point.
- Campfires are allowed at Glen Canyon in established campgrounds within established rings and below the high-water mark, only in areas completely void of vegetation.
Please be aware that fire restrictions will be slightly different among agencies and these restrictions do not apply to incorporated cities. Please check the specific fire restrictions with the respective land management agency before visiting.
Local, state, and federal fire officials urge Utahns to use their ‘Fire Sense’ to help prevent unwanted wildfires. ‘Fire Sense’ is an interagency fire awareness campaign that was implemented last year to increase public knowledge on how to prevent wildland fires. For more information on preventing unwanted human caused wildfires, agency-specific restrictions, and reference maps, visit www.utahfiresense.org, www.utahfireinfo.gov, and www.wildlandfire.az.gov or follow us on Twitter, @UtahWildfire.
Agency Media Contacts:
- Mike Melton, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, 435-590-4712
- Nick Howell, Color Country District, Bureau of Land Management, 435-704-1815
- David Hercher, Paria River District, Bureau of Land Management, 435-899-0415
- Rachel Carnahan, AZ Strip District, Bureau of Land Management, 435-688-3303
- Kevin Abel, Dixie National Forest, USDA, 435-592-4866
- Chris Henrie, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 435-590-7355
- Jonathan Shafer, Zion National Park, National Park Service, 435-772-0145
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.