Southern Utah Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions as Wildfires Thrive Across the Region

Most of Southern Utah is now under a Stage 1 Fire Restriction as more wildfires are reported across the state. 

Our news partners at ABC 4 Utah reported on the restrictions with comments from Captain Tyler Ames of the Hurricane Valley Fire District. 

The Stage 1 Fire Restrictions apply to Washington, Kane, Iron, Beaver, and Garfield Counties. All of Arizona north of the Grand Canyon is also under the same restrictions. 

Captain Tyler Ames from the HVFD told Cannon Secrest of ABC 4 Utah of some of the restrictions residents must follow as the dry summer continues. 

Ames said, “In Washington County here all the unincorporated areas, there are parameters. There’s no shooting with exploding targets or tracer rounds, stuff like that. No fireworks, no open campfires, anything like that.” 

Zion National Park is under a Stage 2 Fire Restriction as there are more chances of starting a wildfire in the area. 

An article from Scott Lewis of ABC 4 Utah listed all the restrictions that residents need to follow. 

• 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. 

• 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 agency-improved and maintained campgrounds at Lava Point. 

• Campfires are allowed at Glen Canyon in established campgrounds within established rings and below the high-water mark, only in areas completely void of vegetation. 

The restrictions come during a time where the Little Twist Fire in Beaver County continues to burn as it’s grown to about 2,400 acres at 10% containment.