Fire prevention order issued for BLM managed lands in north/central Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — A fire prevention order was issued for the Bureau of Land Management West Desert District prohibiting certain items.

The restrictions apply to BLM-managed lands within the counties of Box Elder, Cache, Juab, Millard, Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber.

The prevention order prohibits:

• The use of steel component ammunition
• The use of steel component targets
• Sky lanterns or similar devices
• Operating off-highway vehicles without spark arresters

“The 12 counties identified in the fire prevention order contain 86% of Utah’s population and have a significant wildland urban interface,” Michael Gates, BLM West Desert District Manager, said. “While we have received record snowfall and rain over the last seven months, we expect warmer temperatures to dry out the large grass crop and rapidly increase fire danger. We ask that all visitors to public lands be diligent in preventing wildfires.”

Fireworks, explosives of any kind, and tracer and incendiary ammunition are prohibited year-round according to BLM statewide fire prevention order, UT 910-21-001.

According to the release from BLM, “Target shooters should know their ammunition before visiting public lands. Ammunition packaging may not indicate the presence of steel in the bullet, especially in military surplus and foreign-made ammunition. To determine whether a bullet contains steel, test with a magnet. Orange or red painted tips may indicate tracer ammunition which can ignite flammable substances, such as dry grass, upon contact.”

Other simple wildfire preventions include:

• Fully extinguishing campfires and avoiding building fires when winds are 15 mph or higher
• Avoiding target shooting in hot, dry and windy conditions
• Choosing a target shooting backstop free of rocks and dry grass – any bullet hitting rocks can create a spark
• Avoiding cutting, welding or grinding of metal in areas of dry vegetation
• Keeping trailer chains lifted above the ground – dragging chains can create sparks
• Avoiding parking a hot vehicle over dry grass
• Maintaining tires, wheels and bearing on trailers to prevent mechanical failure
• Checking off-highway vehicle exhaust system yearly to ensure the spark arrester is mounted securely and is qualified
• Fully extinguishing and properly disposing of cigarettes

BLM prevention orders can be viewed online at https://go.usa.gov/xJUac, on utahfireinfo.gov and on signs where BLM-managed lands are accessed. The public is reminded to use caution and be prepared to prevent wildfires when visiting public lands. Please keep water, a shovel and a fire extinguisher handy during the dry summer months. In the event of a fire, please call 911.