DUBOIS Clark County Emergency Manager Sheree Farr is reminding folks of fire restrictions on public lands before the archery hunting season begins this week.
Eastern Idaho public lands are subject to stage 1 fire restrictions as of August 7. Additionally, a fire prohibition is in place in several counties through September 30.
RELATED | Because of the exceptionally dry circumstances, fire restrictions have been implemented in eastern Idaho.
RELATED | Madison County will be prohibited from burning until September.
Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire is prohibited while the ban is in effect, unless it is on private property or within a designated recreation area with a permanent concrete or metal fire ring.
It is also forbidden to smoke outside of a structure, enclosed car, or approved recreation area. The website of the U.S. Forest Service lists exceptions to this rule.
The federal government owns 62% of Clark County, which includes Camas National Wildlife Refuge and Caribou-Targhee National Forest. As a result, hunters and recreationists frequently visit it, and Farr is urging people to take excellent care of the land.
Farr warns EastIdahoNews.com that the fuels are extremely dry and that there is a risk of fire. To prevent flames from spreading, abide by the rules, limitations, and burn bans.
This public reminder was brought on by a number of recent fires in nearby counties. According to the most recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Sand Creek Fire, which was started by lightning and is located in Fremont County approximately eight miles west of Ashton, has been completely contained. When it started on August 15, it burnt roughly 850 acres.
Farr mentions further fires in the region, such as the Willow Creek Fire inside Bridger-Teton National Forest close to Afton, Wyoming, and a controlled burn in Jefferson County this week.
Associated with Willow Creek Fire, which spreads to around 4,000 acres
According to Farr, it doesn’t take much for fires to ignite during dry spells with daytime highs in the 90s. She is warning hunters to exercise caution.
According to Farr, all that is required is a small spark (from a car) or something like. When hunting, hunters enjoy starting fires, but they must adhere to fire regulations.
In addition to being harmful to the environment, leaving a campfire unattended is illegal and may result in fines, according to a recent Facebook post by Caribou-Targhee National environment officials. One of the main sources of wildfires, abandoned campfires endanger towns, wildlife, and firefighters.
Over the course of the weekend, Pocatello’s National Weather Service is predicting highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. With the possibility of significant rainfall in eastern Idaho on Monday and continuing through Wednesday, a change in weather patterns is anticipated to start Sunday in Utah.
There is a slight chance of significant rainfall across East Idaho by Tuesday. The NWS warns on its Facebook page Sunday that any thunderstorm has the potential to dramatically increase the amount of rainfall at any place.
You can find the most recent weather information and a comprehensive seven-day prediction for your area here.
