Stage 1 fire restrictions now in place

With the threat of wildfire danger increasing throughout southwest Idaho, including parts of Elmore County, local wildland fire management agencies implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions Friday afternoon.

The restrictions are intended to decrease the chance of any preventable fires in the designated areas and will remain in effect until further notice.

Areas identified in the Stage 1 fire restriction order include public lands protected by the Boise District Bureau of Land Management. This includes the south shore of Arrowrock Reservoir and the portion of Elmore County that lies south of the South Fork of the Boise River to Anderson Ranch Dam.

The area extends south along Anderson Dam Road to Highway 20 and east on Highway 20 to the Elmore and Gooding county line south to the interstate.

Under the fire restriction, the following acts are prohibited on public land, roads and trails.

- Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire except within a designated recreation site and only within a fire structure provided by the administrative agency.

- Smoking, except within 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.

Wildland fire management officials highlighted the following exemptions to the Stage 1 restrictions:

- People with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.

- People using fire fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels.

- Individuals conducting activities in designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.

- Any federal, state or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of their official duties.

- All land within a city boundary is exempted. However, people are required to adhere to burn bans imposed by city and county officials.