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State Forester Sets Fire Restrictions in Cache County

franklin.ifas.ufl.edu

Until further notice, the Utah State Forester has prohibited lighting fireworks or cutting metal in unincorporated areas, meaning areas that aren’t governed by local cities. Smoking in areas with dry vegetation and lighting campfires in undesignated areas is also prohibited.

 

“This time of year things start to dry out and there’s just a high risk of fire," said Rod Hammer, the Cache County Fire Chief. "So any time somebody’s out there with fire, it has a higher likelihood of getting away from them, and once it does go, it goes big pretty quick.”

 

Hammer says the Utah State Forester places similar fire restrictions on unincorporated lands every summer, usually between July 4 and 24. He says the Utah State Forester worked with the Cache County Fire District to determine what restrictions were appropriate in the county.

 

These fire limits are only for unincorporated areas. Hammer says cities are in charge of putting their own fire restrictions in place. Several communities throughout the state have banned firework use in certain areas.

 

“You have sparkly things and hot things falling in dry grass and you’re going to get dry grass," Hammer said. "And I think most people would agree that having a fire isn’t worth the enjoyment of a piece of fireworks, so the risk outweighs the benefits.”

According the Utah Fire Information website, fireworks are prohibited in unincorporated areas throughout the state, and several counties have opted to prohibit campfires as well.

 

Here are the exact restrictions the Cache County Fire Chief shared on its Facebook page:

 

All unincorporated private lands in Cache County will be under fire restrictions beginning July 15, 2016. The restrictions will be as follows.

1. Setting, building, maintaining, attending or using open fires of any kind, except campfires built within the facilities provided for them in improved campgrounds, picnic areas or permanently improved places of habitation.

2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared to mineral soil.
3. Discharging or using any kind of fireworks, tracer ammunition or other pyrotechnics devices including explosive targets.
4. Cutting, welding, or grinding metal in areas of dry vegetation.