GOSHEN COUNTY – In an urgent press release, the Goshen County Board of County Commissioners, and the Goshen County Fire Warden announced imposed stage-one fire restrictions for Goshen County.

Restrictions and exemptions listed in the release include the discharge of fireworks and all outdoor fires are prohibited in unimproved areas, only campfires at residences or campsites, within a fire ring centered within a minimum of 15 feet cleared radius of burnable materials. Trash or refuse fires between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. inside a container provided with sparks and located within a cleared radius of a minimum of 15 of burnable materials. Charcoal fires within enclosed grills are permitted. Use of acetylene cutting torches, electric arc welders, or metal grinding in a cleared radius of 15 feet. Burnable materials are permitted. The use of portable stoves, lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, pressurized liquid fuel, or fully enclosed (sheepherder type) stoves and open fire branding activities in a cleared radius of 15 feet of burnable materials is permitted.

“Penalties provided in Wyoming Statute 35-9-304 may be imposed for violation of this resolution specifically, a fine not to exceed $100 or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days or both to which may be added costs of restitution,” the release concluded.

The ban went into effect, Friday, July 5 at 8 a.m. 

“We are currently in the low fire danger risk per the National Weather Service but we have several factors working against keeping us there. We are forecast to stay in the above average Hot-Dry-Windy Index for the next 30 days and our entire county is forecast to stay in D2 Drought intensity conditions through at least the end of September. Once we add in the forecasts of above average temperatures and below average rainfall, our fire risk will increase incrementally,” Goshen County Fire Warden and Goshen County Emergency Management Coordinator, Thom Bozeman said. “The recent fire in the Pine Ridge community demonstrated how hot, dry winds can spread a fire when there’s lots of dry fuel on the ground. These kinds of fast-moving fires are what we are trying to prevent with fire restrictions.”