Increase in human-caused wildfires prompts expanded fire restrictions in southwest Utah, Arizona Strip

Stock image, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — An increase in human-caused wildfires, forecasted continued dry conditions and high fire danger in southwest Utah and northern Arizona have prompted an expansion of fire restrictions in the region.

Color Country Interagency Fire Managers put the new restrictions in place Monday. Following are the specific restrictions implemented by each fire management agency in the Color Country Fire Management Area.

Restricted land in Washington County and northern Arizona include the following:

  • Unincorporated privately owned and all state administered lands (Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands). Incorporated towns and cities are not included in these restrictions. Contact your local fire department for municipal restrictions.
  • Bureau of Land Management in Washington County and northern Arizona.
  • National Park Service (Zion National Park).
  • Dixie National Forest, Pine Valley Ranger District.
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (Trust Lands of the Shivwits and Kaibab Band Reservations).

Utah restrictions

The following acts are prohibited in southwest Utah’s fire-restricted areas until further notice:

  1. Igniting, building, maintaining or using a fire, including charcoal, is prohibited. All debris burning is strictly prohibited.
  2. Campfires are allowed in all developed recreation sites, campgrounds, picnic areas and home sites that are maintained and administered by the agency or home sites where running water is present are allowed. Stoves or grills that are fueled solely by liquid petroleum fuels are also allowed.
  3. Discharging or using any kind of fireworks on unincorporated private land (always prohibited on state and federal lands).
  4. Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order.
  5. Detonating of explosives, incendiary or chemical devices, pyrotechnics, or exploding targets or tracer ammunition (always prohibited on federal land).
  6. Cutting, welding or grinding of metal in areas of dry vegetation.
  7. Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building or a developed recreation site or areas of a minimum of 3 feet in diameter cleared down to mineral soil.

Arizona restrictions

The following acts are prohibited in state and federal land on the Arizona Strip until further notice:

  1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove including fires in developed campgrounds or improved sites.
  2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building.
  3. Discharging a firearm except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, federal or tribal laws and regulations.
  4. Mechanical and industrial prohibitions include operating any internal combustion engine, welding, operating acetylene or other torches with open flame or using an explosive.
  5. Fire Prevention Order #AZ910-2020-01 also restricts fireworks, airborne luminaries, tracer, explosive, steel core, incendiary ammunition and explosive chemical devices or binary explosives, incendiary bomb, grenade or similar device, any combustible or explosive composition, igniting of tires or petroleum products. All are restricted year-round and apply to all BLM-managed lands within Arizona.
  6. Exceptions are made for devices fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.

Lands not in fire restrictions are becoming increasingly dry and fire danger is increasing daily, according to a press release issued by Color Country Fire Management. Campers should ensure their campfire is completely out before leaving and all ignition sources are a safe distance away from vegetation to mitigated unwanted wildfires.

Fire managers are continually evaluating the need for further fire restrictions. Residents are asked to contact local land management agencies or fire departments before conducting any fire-related activity in question.

For more information on preventing wildfires, visit www.utahfireinfo.gov and www.wildlandfire.az.gov or on Twitter @UtahWildfire.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!