Fire restrictions enacted in Sublette County
August 21, 2020
Effective Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 12:01 AM, Sublette County has enacted fire restrictions that limit fires within the county. The Sublette County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to enact fire restrictions following the recommendations of Fire Chief Shad Cooper. Fire restrictions have also been implemented for the USFS Bridger-Teton National Forest, and the BLM High Desert District administered lands.
The restrictions were enacted due to the current high fire danger, drought conditions, and continued hot, dry, and windy weather. Additionally, increased visitation and recreational use has led to several new fire in the neighboring areas. The increased fire activity has limited the number of available fire resources and personnel available to respond to new incidents in the county. The Sublette County Fire Restrictions prohibit all outdoor fires, incendiary devices, and the discharge of fireworks within the county.
The following exceptions are allowed if the fire activity is controlled in a cleared area at least 10’ in radius, and a fire extinguisher is immediately available: campfires contained within an established fire ring; trash or refuse fires within containers provided with spark arresters between 6:00 PM and 8:00 AM; charcoal fires within enclosed grills; acetylene cutting torches or electric arc welders; and fire branding activities.
Additional fire restrictions have also been enacted on the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Bureau of Land Management High Desert District. These additional fire restrictions apply primarily to restricting campfires and smoking on federal lands, in addition to the normal year-round wildfire prevention restrictions on fireworks, incendiary ammunition, burning of hazardous materials, and operating off-road vehicles/chainsaws without properly installed spark arresters.
RESOLUTION NO. 20-100395B states that the following actions are prohibited within the entire boundaries of Sublette County, Wyoming:
Open burning of all fires, including, but not limited to:
a. burning of slash piles,
b. burning of weeds or brush,
c. campfires,
d. use of fireworks, and
e. use of any incendiary device.
The following open fires are exempt from this prohibition:
1. Trash or refuse fires between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., when no wind is present, inside containers provided with spark arresters, and located within a cleared area ten (10) feet in radius.
2. Campfires and residential outdoor fires contained within an established fire ring
when no wind is present. For the purposes of this Resolution, an established fire ring is: An enclosure made of non-combustible materials surrounded by ground that is free of all combustible materials (grass, weeds, brush, wood, trees) for a radius often (10) feet from the enclosure.
3. Charcoal, propane, and natural gas fires within enclosed grills.
4. Use of acetylene cutting torches or electric arc welders in cleared areas ten feet in radius. Operators must also carry a fire extinguisher and a shovel.
5. Propane or open fire branding activities in cleared areas, ten (10) feet in radius.
Operators must also carry a fire extinguisher and a shovel.
|
