PROVO, Utah — The Utah County Sheriff's Office and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands are putting a stop to target shooting in two areas near Utah Lake due to recent target shooting-related fires and high fire danger.
The target shooting closures are in effect on unincorporated and state lands west of Utah Lake and on West Mountain at elevations higher than 4,500 feet.
"Over the last several weeks there have been more than seven wildfires started on Lake Mountain and West Mountain. At least seven of those are known to have been started by individuals or groups who were target shooting. Five of them are known to have been started by individuals or groups using exploding targets," a news release from the Utah County Sheriff's Office said.
The fire restriction order, which will be in effect for two weeks, prohibits the following activities:
1. Use of any steel core, jacketed, or tipped ammunition of any caliber.
2. Use of any tracer or incendiary ammunition of any caliber.
3. Possession or use of any kind of explosives, incendiary or chemical devices, or exploding targets.
One exception to the closure is the southernmost shooting lane at the Soldier Pass Shooting Range. The rest of the range remains closed for "finish work," the news release said.
"Ongoing finish work on the remainder of the range will continue, but it is important to not use those areas as there is significant risk of ricochet injury because of the rock surface of the target area," UCSO's news release said.
Map of the affected areas:
