Fires, fireworks restricted in Morgan County

Morgan County has been included in the Stage 1 Fire Restrictions July 1 by the Utah Department of Natural Resources for Northern Utah. This affects all unincorporated private and state lands within the county.

“We typically go into Stage 1 Restrictions about every year,” County Commission Chair Mike Newton said at the July 2 commission meeting. “In fact, I can’t recall a year where we haven’t done this since I’ve been on the commission.” 

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions prohibit open fires of any kind except within established public facilities in improved campgrounds or picnic areas or in permanently constructed fire pits at private homes where running water is present.

Smoking is also prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle, trailer, or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area that is paved or free from dry vegetation.

Discharge or use of any fireworks, tracer ammunition, or other pyrotechnic devices, including exploding targets is not allowed.

Cutting, welding, or grinding metal in areas of dry vegetation is prohibited. In any of these areas operating a motorcycle, chainsaw, ATV, or other small internal combustion engine without an approved and working spark arrestor is not allowed.

“Human-caused wildfires are currently at their highest levels in the past three years,” Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands Fire Management Officer Dustin Richards said. “Once again, Utah received a lot of snow this year, resulting in new growth of grass and shrubs. With all this additional vegetation, it only takes one spark to start a wildfire.”

These restrictions do not apply to incorporated cities. λ