BLM Issues Fire Restrictions for the West Desert

SALT LAKE CITY – Due to rapidly increasing fire danger, the Bureau of Land Management is implementing fire restrictions beginning June 4 on all BLM-managed lands in the BLM West Desert District. Fire restrictions apply to Box Elder, Cache, Juab, Millard, Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber counties in Utah. 

From June 4 until rescinded, the fire prevention order prohibits:

• The use of any steel component ammunition of any caliber.
• The use of any steel component target.
• The use of any sky lanterns, Chinese lanterns, fire balloons, acetylene balloons, or similar device.
• The use of any Off-Highway Vehicle that is not  equipped with a properly installed and maintained spark arrestor. Spark arresters shall meet the 80 percent efficiency level standard when determined by the appropriate Society of Automotive Engineers recommended practices J335 and J350. Refer to Title 43 CFR §8343.1.

The BLM asks target shooters to 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. 

BLM statewide fire prevention order UT914-25-001 prohibits fireworks, explosives of any kind, and tracer and incendiary ammunition year-round.

To prevent a wildfire, the public should:

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

BLM prevention orders are available at Utah - Fire Restrictions | Bureau of Land Management (blm.gov) and on utahfireinfo.gov. The public is reminded to use caution to prevent wildfires when visiting public lands. Please be prepared with water, a shovel and a fire extinguisher handy during the dry summer months. In the event of a fire, call 911 immediately.

For more details on the prevention order, contact the BLM Salt Lake Field Office at 801-320-8300.