Press Release
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions will go into effect Friday, June 18, 2021, on all Bureau of Land Management administered lands in Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, and Uintah counties due the ongoing potential for catastrophic wildfires.
Eastern Utah currently has three large wildfires that are being fought by interagency incident management teams. Persistent drought conditions and forecasts that call for prolonged hot, dry weather coupled with high winds makes it highly likely that any new fires will grow rapidly.
Under the order signed Friday, June 11 by BLM Green River District Manager Lance Porter, the following acts are prohibited:
1. No campfires using charcoal, solid fuels or any ash-producing fuel, EXCEPT in permanently-constructed cement or metal fire pits located in agency developed campgrounds and picnic areas. Examples of solid fuels include, but are not limited to, wood, charcoal, peat, coal, Hexamine fuel tablets, wood pellets, corn, wheat, rye and other grains. Devices fueled by petroleum or liquid petroleum gas with a shut-off valve are approved in all locations if there is at least three feet in diameter that is barren with no flammable vegetation.
2. Smoking except within an enclosed vehicle, covered areas, developed recreation site or while stopped in a cleared area of at least three feet in diameter that is barren with no flammable vegetation.
3. Grinding, cutting and welding of metal.
4. Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order as determined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practices J335 and J350. Refer to Title 43 CFR 8343.1.
5. The non-commercial use/discharge of explosives of any kind, incendiary or chemical devices, pyrotechnic devices, exploding targets, pressurized containers or canisters, and binary explosives.
6. The use/discharge of any kind of fireworks as defined by the order.
Individuals violating the order can be subject to fines up to and including $1,000 along with costs associated with fire suppression and post-fire rehabilitation.
This order rescinds all previous orders covering BLM-administered lands in Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery and Uintah counties. The order will remain in effect until it is rescinded.
Additionally, information was released from the Utah Department of Natural Resources regarding the statewide restrictions.
With record low fuel moisture, widespread drought conditions and extreme fire danger, the State of Utah, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands is enacting statewide stage 1 fire restrictions for all state lands and all private lands outside of city/town borders. The order is effective starting at midnight, June 10.
Stage 1 restrictions include a tight limit on where open fires are allowed and puts constraints on other activities, including welding and cutting metal, smoking, etc.
“As we’ve seen these most recent wildfires, it is clear that fire danger is higher than in any year in recent memory,” said Interim Division Director, Jamie Barnes. “Although it’s unprecedented and comes earlier than any time in the past several years, it’s absolutely necessary now because current conditions are more indicative of what we’d see during late summer months.”
This order comes following a statewide fireworks restriction issued Tuesday for all state and unincorporated lands. The division is calling on the public to adhere to the restrictions, bring awareness to them and report any violations to local law enforcement.
In addition to fire restrictions, the Division and its federal partners are promoting wildfire prevention in a campaign called “Fire Sense.” The campaign focuses on adding a greater sense of fire danger to overall common sense. For information on Fire Sense or for further information on this or other fire restrictions in Utah, visit www.utahfiresense.org.
