Each week Carbon County Sheriff Jeff Wood takes time to stop in to the Castle Country Radio Station to inform residents about what is currently happening at the Sheriff’s Department and/or shares various seasonal safety tips. This week with the huge Southern Utah fire he felt it was important to invite Justin Needles, Emergency Management Director to discuss the hazards of fire season during the summer months.

“It’s just that time of year, if you just look five years ago, right now we had the Seely fire going. It’s not that uncommon in our neck of the woods, we are going into fire restrictions on Thursday, June 29,” stated Needles. The devastation that the Seely fire left still has its affects during heavy rain storms causing mudslides in Huntington Canyon due to the bare burn scars, along with lack of vegetation that is still trying to flourish the land and for wildlife.

“There is restrictions in place for all the unincorporated parts of the county and BLM and state lands, the Forest Service is not going into restrictions,” said Needles. Individuals that are planning on camping in the Manti-La Sal or Ashley National Forest during the holiday weekend should still be very cautious with any campfires. If there are any questions or concerns contact a Forest Service Ranger.

Deputies will be out on patrol in the unincorporated parts of the county to make sure individuals are adhering to the restrictions set in place. “The fireworks over the Fourth of July they are in restrictions. We’re going to open it up at the fairgrounds, if people want to go light their fireworks there. Just make sure you’re away from any dry grass out there, especially if your buying those aerial fireworks, make sure you are doing those in the middle of the parking lot, so keeping them away from that dry grass,” said Needles. Residential areas in Price, Helper and Wellington have not been given fire restrictions at this time but citizens should be mindful when lighting fireworks in and around neighborhoods.

For more information about fire restrictions, wildfires, fire prevention, and fuels treatment projects, please visit www.utahfireinfo.gov.

Loading...