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Show Fire Restrictions Extended Statewide By State And Feds State and federal officials have expanded a fire restriction order to cover all federal, state and private 1 ands throughout Utah. The order, which added 21 counties to the list of counties, including Garfield, already al-ready under restriction, became effective ef-fective at 12:01 a.m., June 21. It includes all state, private, National Forest, and Bureau of Land Management Manage-ment lands and remains in effect until un-til rescinded. Lands located in incorporated in-corporated towns and cities are not affected by the restriction. The order added lands in Box Elder, El-der, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Da-vis, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, Juab, Millard, Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch and Weber Counties. Sevier, Emery, Millard, and Grand Counties had partial earlier restrictions. Wayne, San Juan, Kane, Garfield, Washington, Kane, and Iron Counties had earlier been restricted. "We are especially concerned about fireworks," explained State Forester Art DuFault. "While we want everyone to enjoy the approaching ap-proaching holidays, fireworks cause an inordinate number of fires statewide. state-wide. "We're asking everyone to be especially careful with all forms of fire an to take special precautions with the use of fireworks," he said. The fire restriction order prohibits prohi-bits open fires of any kind except campfires in developed campgrounds camp-grounds and facilities; smoking, except ex-cept in vehicles, boats, developed recreation sites, residences or in an area a leas three feet in diameter that is cleared of all flammable materials; mater-ials; and fireworks, tracer ammunition ammun-ition or other pyrotechnic devices. Utah has 29 counties. Southern Utah is under severe drought conditions, and officials find that live fuel moisture in pinyon and juniper is extremely low compared to other years, and is similar to what was experienced in 1996 when so many acres burned in southern and central Utah. Fire officials are concerned that human-caused human-caused fires on federal and state lands will lead to large area fires. The restrictions are meant to lessen the possibility of major fires which are dangerous to humans and wildlife, expensive to suppress, and costly to rehabilitate. People should be aware that if they cause a wildfire they can be held liable for suppression costs and other penalties. |
