VIDEO: Fire departments across Bannock County have announced a unified, county-wide burn ban set to begin on July 1. This ban prohibits all open burning and the use of fireworks within the county’s designated Wildland Urban Interface Areas due to the current high fire danger. The ban comes on the heels of the West Clark Fire on the west bench of Pocatello, which burned over 200 acres. โThe hills and benches in and around Pocatello are covered in junipers, sagebrush, and cheatgrass that are prone to rapid ignition and extreme fire behavior,โ said Pocatello Fire Marshal Dean Bullock.
โIt only takes a single ember to cause what could become a devastating wildfire. I strongly encourage all citizens to heed the ban and potentially save the lives and homes of fellow residents.โ The ban does allow for the use of commercial gas fire pits and appliances designed for cooking, such as gas grills and charcoal briquettes.With the Fourth of July approaching, the Pocatello Fire Department is also issuing a strong warning regarding fireworks. Fireworks are a significant cause of wildfires, and extra patrols of police and firefighters will be deployed on Independence Day to ensure only “safe and sane” fireworks are being used within city limits.
