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Springdale amends fire rules: council extends open‑burn and fireworks restrictions through winter amid dry conditions

September 13, 2025 | Springdale Town Council Meetings, Springdale , Washington County, Utah


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Springdale amends fire rules: council extends open‑burn and fireworks restrictions through winter amid dry conditions
The Springdale Town Council on Sept. 10 amended its 2025 fire ordinance to extend prohibitions on certain open burning and the discharge of fireworks, citing persistent wildland‑urban interface risk and recent field reports from the fire district. The ordinance amendments set the town’s open‑burn restriction to continue through Oct. 15, 2025, and extended the fireworks prohibition through Jan. 15, 2026, unless the council revises the dates. Why it matters: The canyon’s terrain and vegetation place most of Springdale within the state’s wildland‑urban interface criteria, council members and the fire authority said, creating a persistent ignition risk that can easily exceed local suppression capacity. The council’s changes aim to reduce wildfire starts during high‑risk seasonal windows. What council heard: Fire Chief Joe Decker (speaking for the fire district) told the council the district "will support any decision you guys make" on fireworks and open burning and that the canyon is not a safe environment for fireworks. He described recent field pressure and noted that the district ran dozens of fireworks‑related calls on peak days elsewhere in the county this summer. Staff and council members also discussed House Bill 48, the state law addressing wildland‑urban interface maps and insurance concerns, and said the town will need to coordinate future local WUI designations and defensible‑space requirements with state rulemaking. How the ordinance changes work: The revised ordinance maintains the town’s authority to issue limited, supervised burns in specific circumstances (for instance, supervised clean‑up burns coordinated with the fire district when staff resources and conditions allow). It also directs staff to synchronize the town’s permit and enforcement language with forthcoming state WUI guidance as rules become available. Quote: "The way the canyon is up here is just not a safe environment for any type of fireworks," Fire Chief Joe Decker told the council, urging the town to adopt conservative restrictions. Vote and effect: The council adopted the ordinance amendment by roll call vote. The new dates set by the council apply to the currently adopted ordinance and will remain in place until the council amends them or new state WUI rules require a different approach. Ending: Council members asked staff to monitor state WUI mapping and to work with the fire district on a local map and permitting approach; staff agreed to bring future adjustments to the council as state rules and local conditions dictate.

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