WILLIAMS – The Kaibab National Forest will implement additional fire restrictions, also known as Stage II fire restrictions, across the entire Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts beginning at 8 a.m. this Friday. These new restrictions limit the kinds of activities typically allowed on the forest and will remain in effect until significant and widespread moisture arrives.
Due to different weather and fuel conditions, the North Kaibab Ranger District, which is located north of Grand Canyon National Park, will not yet implement any fire restrictions.
Under the Stage II fire restrictions to be implemented Friday across the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts, the following are prohibited:
- Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove fire, including fires in developed campgrounds and improved sites.
- Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building.
- Discharging a firearm except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, federal, or tribal laws and regulations.
- Operating chainsaws or any internal combustion engine between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- Welding or operating acetylene or other torches with an open flame.
- Using an explosive. (It is always illegal to use any kind of explosives on National Forest lands.)
As a reminder, fireworks and all pyrotechnic devices are always prohibited on National Forest lands.
Exemptions to the Stage II fire restrictions include the following:
- Using a device fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
- Operating generators with an approved spark arresting device within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the generator.
- Operating motorized vehicles in compliance with the Kaibab National Forest’s Travel Management regulations. Parking off any road must be in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the vehicle.
The Forest Service uses fire restrictions to help prevent unwanted, human-caused fires and to limit the exposure of visitors during periods of potentially dangerous fire conditions. Implementation of fire restrictions normally occurs based on a combination of factors that are carefully measured.
Criteria used to determine when to implement restrictions include things such as current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, a variety of science-based indices, fire activity levels and available firefighting resources. Additional restrictions may be applied any time that conditions warrant. Fire restrictions typically remain in effect until the area covered by the restrictions receives significant precipitation, at which time they will be rescinded.
Forest officials would also like to remind visitors that having a campfire on the National Forest while under fire restrictions is a violation of law requiring a mandatory appearance in federal court and consequent fines and possible jail time. Visitors should use extra caution when recreating on all public lands during times of the year when fire danger is increased.
These fire restrictions apply only to the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts of the Kaibab National Forest. However, many city, state, and county agencies implement similar restrictions, so members of the public should check with the appropriate agency on any restrictions applying to privately-owned property or other lands not within Kaibab National Forest jurisdictional boundaries.
Know Before You Go! Members of the public can find additional information through the following sources:
- Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF (Text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 to receive text messages.)
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
- Arizona Fire Restrictions: firerestrictions.us/az