SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 21, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Effective at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, state officials announced sweeping restrictions in reaction to the season’s wildfires.
The order from the Utah Department of Natural Resources announces curbs on campfires, fireworks, firearms, smoking and other point sources of ignition largely in southern Utah.
“Starting June 21st, 2024, due to rapidly increasing fire danger, interagency fire managers are implementing Stage 1 Fire Restrictions,” officials said Thursday
“This is in effect on all federal, unincorporated private, and state lands in Washington, Iron, Beaver, Kane, and Garfield counties (excluding lands in Beaver and Garfield managed by the Fishlake National Forest), all Arizona State Lands north of the Grand Canyon, NPS lands within Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, and all BLM-managed public lands within the Arizona Strip District in Arizona. Incorporated cities and towns are not included.”
While Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect, the following acts are prohibited:
• No campfires or open fires outside of agency-improved and maintained campgrounds and homesites 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 or on public lands (city-specific restrictions may apply). Fireworks are always prohibited on all federal lands.
• 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), including motorcycles, chainsaws, ATVs or other small internal combustion engines.
• 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’s Watchman Campground (Stage 2 Fire Restrictions).
Violations of the above restrictions are punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $1,000.
