Fire safety

The Clay Springs Fire, burning more than 108,000 acres, is just one of the many recent human-caused fires in Utah.

The Salt Lake City Fire Department wants to make sure residents stay safe during the fire-danger season, especially high during Fourth of July and  Pioneer Day celebrations. The department has provided a brochure with rules and Utah State requirements on fireworks—restricted this year to prevent major fires in areas in Salt Lake City. See a map of the restricted areas here. Governor Gary Herbert has issued a statement that all lands in Utah, except incorporated towns and cities, are closed to fireworks.

In addition, Utah State Forester Dick Buehler has expanded the limits on his earlier order to ban target shooting in many rural areas, which was the first-ever initiative of its kind. The ban took effect July 11 and bars target shooting in nearly all of unincorporated Utah County, parts of Summit County, and scattered portions of Cache and Davis counties. Buehler previously banned the use of steel-jacketed bullets, tracers, and exploding targets. (Steel-jacketed bullets can create sparks when they hit rocks.) The new order forbids shooting in the areas where county officials requested bans because of fire danger. Read more about this in the Salt Lake Tribune article by Robert Gehrke here. Additional information on fire prevention around the state is here. 

Tips to keep in mind when handling fireworks:

• Keep a 30-foot clearance area in all directions from the base of the device, with unimpeded clearance over head (trees, awnings, etc.).
• Have a bucket of water nearby to place spent fireworks in for at least 12 hours before discarding into a garbage can.
• Should a firework misfire or not light, do not attempt to re-ignite and do not place in water. Instead let sit for an extended period of time then return to vendor.
• Never use fireworks during windy conditions or near wildland areas.
• Brace all aerial cakes with noncombustible weight items to avoid tipping.