Support firefighters, don't give them more work

As the Clearwater Fire west of Wapiti has made abundantly clear once again, firefighters are absolutely vital in Western summers. And for the last few weeks, firefighters from all over the state have sacrificed their time and put their health and safety on the line to protect lives and property west of Wapiti.

This time of year firefighters are, unfortunately, in high demand with fires raging all over the West — obvious to all of us who have been living in a smoky haze once again this time of year.

Our duty then, is to support them and to avoid adding to their workload.

Thankfully our legislators agreed on at least one thing in Cheyenne last legislative session, as the Aaron Booker Firefighter Cancer Screening Act, effective July 1, mandates that firefighters with at least 10 years of service in the industry may be entitled to undergo cancer screenings covered by workers’ compensation. It also states firefighters will be presumed to have been exposed to cancer causing agents during the course and scope of their employment.

This, along with recent legislation to increase pay for wildland firefighters, is a step in the right direction to support these brave men and women.

While we can’t all vote on new legislation, we can all be safe and avoid starting fires, especially another wildfire that can quickly grow to thousands of acres.

On BLM land, there are a number of restrictions in place year-round to prevent wildfires, including:

• Discharge or use any fireworks.

• Discharge a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition.

• Burn, ignite or cause to burn any tire, wire, magnesium, or any other hazardous or explosive material.

• Operate any off-road vehicle on public lands without a properly installed spark arrester pursuant to 43 CFR 8343.1 (c).

• Use/discharge of explosives of any kind, incendiary devices, pyrotechnic devices or exploding targets. In the Shoshone National Forest where the Clearwater Fire is burning, forest officials just added restrictions, including:

1. Igniting, building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire (including fires by charcoal or briquettes) except if it is in:

• A permanent metal or concrete fire pit or grate that the U.S. Forest Service has installed and maintained at its developed recreation sites (campgrounds and picnic areas);
• A device solely fueled by liquid or gas that can be turned on and off, used in an area barren or cleared of all flammable materials within 3 feet of the device; or
• A fully enclosed metal stove with a chimney at least 5 feet in length and a mesh screen spark arrestor in an area that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials within 10 feet of the device.

2. Smoking is prohibited, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

3. Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order.

4. Blasting, welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame, except if in a cleared area of at least 10 feet in diameter and a chemical pressurized fire.

5. Using an explosive.

So as this hot summer continues, let’s keep firefighters in our thoughts and our prayers, and make sure we’re not adding work to their already busy summer.