ST. GEORGE, Utah — Stage 1 Fire Restrictions have been issued for multiple Utah counties due to rising fire dangers in the southern part of the state.
The Utah Bureau of Land Management implemented the restrictions for state and unincorporated private lands in Washington, Kane and Garfield counties.
The restrictions are set to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.
According to the BLM, an increase in wildfire activity even before hotter and drier conditions peak in the summer has been reported by fire managers.
Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, the following activities 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.
- Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove fire, except within a developed recreation site, or improved site.
- 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).
- 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).
- Campfires are allowed in improved and maintained campgrounds at Lava Point in Zion National Park.
- Campfires are allowed at Glen Canyon in established campgrounds within established rings or below the high-water mark, only in areas completely void of vegetation.
Why is Utah's wildfire season growing by weeks across the state?
Any violations of the fire restrictions are punishable by fine or imprisonment.
The restrictions come just days after new data showed Utah's wildfire season is growing by weeks, even a month in some areas, because of worsening conditions.
