Busy fire weekend expected

The upcoming holiday weekend is anticipated to be a busy one for firefighters.

The Fourth of July holiday falls on a Saturday this year and Sweetwater County Fire Warden Mike Bournazian expects people will be lighting fireworks well before the sun sets.

“Every fire department in Sweetwater County expects to be busy all day on the Fourth of July this year as it falls on a Saturday and many folks will already be well into lighting fireworks and other devices that day, long before nightfall,”he said.

Bournazian said fire departments respond to wildland fires caused by fireworks every year, saying many are started in areas people shouldn’t light them. He said a few small fires or a single, large blaze will deplete wildland firefighting resources within the county.

“If we are already working one or two wildfires, it makes it extremely difficult to respond to new fires without jeopardizing the safety of our firefighters and the public,” he said.

Given the county is so large, Bournazian said the challenge they face is responding to wildland fires when fireworks-related fires complicate their responses.

Fireworks are prohibited with the Green River or Rock Springs city limits, as well as on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and the state. Fireworks are allowed on private lands outside of city limits with the landowner’s permission.

Bournazian said he’s usually asked how bad the fire season will be when nobody can truly predict what will happen.

“It is very important to remember this, it only takes one bad fire to have a bad fire season,” he said.

He said the county is fortunate because the different fire agencies have been able to keep about 95% of the wildland fires to under 10 acres, but added it only takes a fire on a hot, dry and windy day to spread out of control.

“And if that one fire is around anyone’s home, it only takes minutes to spread and now catch a home or many homes on fire before we can arrive,” Bournazian said.

Fire season in Sweetwater County is no longer contained to the summer months, according to Bournazian.

He said the county fire department has responded to fires every month of the year if the conditions are right.

Ultimately, Bournazian said almost every firefighter enjoys fireworks, but hopes residents light them safely and in the right locations where the risk of fire is minimal.

“I just ask that everyone please do so in the right place and with their safety and their neighbors safety first,” Bournazian said.