Local reaction to Arizona being under Stage 2 fire restrictions

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado River and Phoenix Districts implemented seasonal Stage 2 fire restrictions last week due to dry conditions.

The restrictions went into effect last Friday, May 23, at 8:00 a.m., and they were for the following lands and counties:

• State lands
  • Gila County
  • La Paz County
  • Maricopa County
  • Yavapai County
  • Yuma County
• BLM-managed lands
  • La Paz County
  • Maricopa
  • Southern Mojave County
  • Northern Pinal County
  • Western Pima County
  • Yavapai County
  • Yuma County

"Fire restrictions for most land managers traditionally begin going into effect before Memorial Day and that coincides with the conditions we typically see as it starts getting hotter and dryer as we enter the summer and that when most of our larger wildfires happen," said Dolores Garcia with BLM.

In addition, the following activities were prohibited once the fire restrictions took effect:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove fire, except within a developed recreation site, or improved site.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building. Smoking is prohibited in all federal buildings.
• Operating any internal combustion engine, such as a chainsaw or similar tool.
• Discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun, except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, federal, or tribal law, and regulations.
  • This restriction also includes the BLM Phoenix District's developed recreational shooting sites: Baldy Mountain, Box Canyon, Church Camp Road, and Saddleback Mountain.
• Welding or the use of any torch or metal cutting or grinding implement.

Some locals support the move saying bad things can happen if people don't take the new restrictions seriously.

"I mean, it's so dry out here. Everything burns, so when you have people who don't follow directions, they want to see what they can get away with and that's not good," said Delbert Baldwin, a local.

Fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited on federally managed lands in Arizona year-round while fireworks and target shooting are prohibited on state lands in Arizona year-round.

Other parts of Arizona were already under fire restrictions. To learn more about this, click here.