SWEETWATER COUNTY — The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners voted to extend stage one fire restrictions to Sept. 4, citing extreme fuel moisture levels and vegetation showing extreme fire behavior. 

Sweetwater County Fire Warden Alan Adams recommended the commissioners extend the current fire restrictions to stay in line with other agencies and nearby counties. Adams said that Sweetwater County Fire District No. 1 had two wildfires east of Point of Rocks that burned a combined two acres of land Monday, Aug. 3. 

“Our county has been fortunate that we haven’t had any extreme or large fires at this point,” Adams said. “Hopefully that will continue for us but you can’t control Mother Nature.”

According to to the Bureau of Land Management, stage one fire restrictions are as follows:

• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire except within agency-provided fire grates at developed recreation sites, or within fully enclosed stoves with a 1/4-inch spark arrester type screen, or within fully enclosed grills, or in stoves using pressurized liquid or gas.
•  Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. 
• Operating a chainsaw without a USDA or SAE approved spark arrester properly installed and working, a chemical fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity by weight, and one round point shovel with an overall length of at least 36 inches. 
• Using a welder, either arc or gas, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame, except in cleared areas of at least 10 feet in diameter with a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity.

These restrictions are in addition to the year round bans of fireworks, incendiary and tracer ammunition, burning tires, wire, magnesium, or any other hazardous and explosive material. Off-road vehicles on public lands must also be equipped with a spark arrester.