SWEETWATER COUNTY — Fire restrictions are going away in Sweetwater County and other areas throughout the region, with county-enacted restrictions ending after Friday.
Alan Adams, the county’s fire warden, told the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners Tuesday that recent moisture levels in the western portion of the state have caused firefighting organizations to start asking for previously-enacted fire restrictions to be lifted.
“The majority of the state has had a great amount of moisture lately,” Adams said.
According to the National Weather Service, a slow-moving weather system produced heavy rain from Sweetwater County into Fremont County last week. Rock Springs reported between 1.83 and 1.95 inches of rain, with more than 2 inches reported southeast of Rock Springs. Green River reported between 1.17 and 1.36 inches. Areas within Lincoln County reported more than 2.5 inches of rainfall, while rain in Sublette County topped out at 1.38 inches near Daniel.
“Finally, Mother Nature helped out a little bit,” Chairman Keaton West said. “It’s green up north too.”
Adams said the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service are also in favor of lifting fire restrictions. He said fuel moisture levels are examined each week and while he hadn’t seen this week’s results, he said firefighting organizations believe moisture levels will be higher.
