Now that all the fireworks have been exploded to celebrate Independence Day — and in many areas of the county for days before and after — Park County has adopted Stage 1 fire restrictions on county lands, which generally prohibited open fires, including fireworks. 

The ban went into place as the temperatures in the Big Horn Basin are projected to top triple digits by the weekend. The National Weather Service in Riverton is predicting a high of 101 degrees F Saturday and 107 degrees Sunday, and said many locations in the region have a chance of setting a new all-time high temperature.

As in the past, agricultural burns are still allowed. 

Fire restrictions have been adopted far earlier than last year, when the county didn’t enforce the ban until late August. 

Fire Marshal Jerry Parker said generally the county adopts a ban once BLM and the Forest Service have done the same — the two control much of the county’s land — but this year he made the request even though the Forest Service has not yet enforced restrictions, due to how dry the basin is. 

BLM enacted restrictions last Monday. 

“I think it’s warranted,” commissioner Dossie Overfield said. “We all know the trouble we’re in.”

Most of Park County is in moderate or severe drought, according to the University of Nebraska’s US Drought Monitor, with part of southeastern Park County in extreme drought. 

Stage 1 fire restrictions

• Any ignition or discharge of any fireworks and all outdoor open fires are prohibited in unimproved areas of Park County (except as provided below), which areas include all County land and private land, including but not limited to all lands owned by Park County or in which Park County holds or owns an interest, including county roads, easements and rights of way. 

• Only campfires at residences or campsites, within a fire ring centered within a minimum of a 15 feet cleared radius of burnable materials are permitted. 

• Trash or refuse fires between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., inside containers provided with a spark arrester and located within a cleared radius of a minimum of 15 feet of burnable materials are permitted. 

• Charcoal fires within enclosed grills and enclosed propane grills are permitted. 

• Use of acetylene cutting, electric arc welders, or metal grinding in a cleared radius of 15 feet of burnable materials is permitted. 

• The use of portable stoves, lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, pressurized liquid fuel or fully enclosed (sheepherder type) stove and open fire branding activities in a cleared radius of 15 feet of burnable materials is permitted. 

The following persons are exempt from the restrictions imposed in Stage 1 Restrictions: 

• Any federal, state, or local officers engaged in fire, emergency, and law enforcement activities. 

• Any member of a rescue or firefighting force engaged in the performance of an official duty. 

• Exceptions to these restrictions and closures can be made in writing by the Park County Commissioners. 

• Persons conducting agricultural burns on private lands, but only with notification to local dispatch when beginning and ending the burn. 

• Park County Landfill exemption to conduct their scheduled burns with the stipulation to place a call to Park County dispatch before they burn at the Park County designated landfills. 

Unimproved land is defined to mean cropland, agricultural land and undeveloped land which predominately remains in the natural forested or range condition. 

These restrictions do not include the areas within incorporated cities and towns in Park County or federal lands, as these entities may impose more or less restrictive regulations.