TUESDAY, July 21, 2026|
Photo – High Fire Danger sign – Bigfoot99 file image
As of eight o’clock this morning, Carbon County is under Stage One fire restrictions.
During yesterday morning’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Fire Warden John Rutherford asked elected officials to institute Stage One fire restrictions. He said the Bureau of Land Management’s newest fuel‑moisture report indicates significant wildfire risk across the majority of Carbon County.
Stage One fire restrictions are the first level of wildfire‑prevention regulations, limiting activities that could spark a fire while still allowing most normal public use. Under the restrictions, outdoor fires are prohibited except in designated metal or concrete rings. Lighting fireworks and charcoal grill use outside developed recreation sites are temporarily banned. Smoking is restricted to enclosed vehicles, buildings, or cleared spaces. Shovels, water, and fire extinguishers are required when using machinery. The state classifies Tannerite as fireworks, meaning the exploding target compound is also prohibited under the restrictions.
Fire Warden Rutherford said he hopes the fire restrictions will limit the chances of manmade wildfires. If predicted rain reduces the risk, the fire warden said he’ll lift the restrictions. However, he added that the county will likely need significantly more rain than what is in the forecast.
At the July 7th County Commissioners meeting, Rutherford said he was waiting for the Bureau of Land Management to institute fire restrictions before he followed suit, as BLM manages roughly 40 percent of the land in Carbon County.
During yesterday’s meeting, the fire warden said BLM was now ready to go into restrictions. He said the State Forestry Division was waiting to see how the predicted rainfall will affect conditions before imposing restrictions on state‑managed land.
Commission Chairman Travis Moore asked Fire Warden Rutherford to explain how he determines when to go into fire restrictions. Rutherford said local, state, and federal agencies use a scientific formula that factors in moisture levels and operational readiness to decide when restrictions are necessary.
Fire Warden Rutherford said that even with restrictions in place, wildfires will likely still occur. He said he is simply attempting to reduce manmade causes.
Rutherford said if the fire danger continues to increase, he’ll ask the Board of Commissioners to enter Stage Two restrictions, which prohibit all open outdoor flames.
The Board of Commissioners agreed to place Carbon County under Stage One fire restrictions, effective at 8 a.m. today.
