UTAH COUNTY, Utah, June 24, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Target shooting restrictions have been put in place in Utah County due to extreme fire danger and a high incidence of wildfires caused by target shooting activity, officials said.
The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, in coordination with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office has ordered a target shooting closure in all state, land and all unincorporated private lands directly west of Utah Lake, except for one designated shooting range, said a news release from officials.
All of West Mountain above 4,500 ft elevation is closed to the use of steel ammunition, tracer ammunition and exploding targets.
“Both agencies are advising caution to those who take part in target shooting,” the news release said. “Targets that contain explosives and the use of ammunition with steel tips/cores/jackets are known to be capable of starting fire. Other ammunition and targets can start fire as well, so caution is advised and the placement of targets is an important consideration. Areas of rocks and dry grass should be avoided.”
The closure order is available here. This order is similar to the existing order implemented by the Bureau of Land Management earlier this month.
The closure will be reviewed every 14 days and either renewed or rescinded depending on fire danger levels.
