BY KAREN BOSSICK

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are now in place on all National Forest lands within the boundaries of the Sawtooth National Forest, including those around Ketchum, Sun Valley and Stanley.

That means no toasting s’mores on a campfire outside a designated campground fire ring and no smoking except in a few designated areas.

Restrictions will apply to all lands north of U.S. Route 20 from Hill City east to the Craters of the Moon National Monument Park Visitor Center to the northernmost Sawtooth National Forest boundary. South of U.S. Route 20, restrictions will only apply to National Forest System lands within the boundaries of the Minidoka Ranger District of the Sawtooth National Forest.

Eighty percent or more of wildfires are human-caused.

“We’ve had an usually high number of human-caused wildland fire starts so far this season, and fuel moistures have been measuring dryer than normal,” said Area Fire Restrictions Coordinator Rob Haddock. “Couple low fuel moistures with dry, hot weather conditions, and we are well within the criteria for implementing restrictions laid out in the Idaho Fire Restrictions Plan.”

The Oregon fire, which was believed to have been caused by lightning in Oregon Gulch near Ketchum Monday night, has been contained. Firefighters and aircraft were able to jump on it early, keeping it from spreading.

Firefighters are fighting the Four Aces Fire believed to have been caused by lightning Thursday night two miles east of Stanley. Again, ground crews and a helicopter jumped on it quickly and it was 60 percent contained as of Friday evening.

Fire Restrictions are being implemented through a coordinated effort between Idaho Department of Lands, the Sawtooth National Forest, and Bureau of Land Management Twin Falls District, Shoshone Field Office.

A map detailing where Stage 1 Fire Restrictions will be implemented is posted online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth/alerts and https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire/fire-restrictions/fire/idaho/fire-restrictions.

Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited:

Building or maintaining a wood-, charcoal-, or briquette-fueled fire outside of a permanent metal or concrete fire pit or grate that the Forest Service or BLM has installed and maintained at its developed recreation sites.

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

Visitors are welcomed to build and maintain campfires in federal agency-provided rings or grates at designated recreation areas. Visitors outside of these designated sites may use a stove or grill equipped with a shut-off valve that is solely fueled by liquid petroleum or liquid petroleum gas fuels.  Stoves or grills of this type can only be used in areas that are barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the device.

Fire restrictions will remain in effect until October 31. If conditions moderate, agencies will consider lifting restrictions earlier.

Violations could result in mandatory appearance in a federal court, fines, or jail time.

For additional information on fire restrictions, visit the fire restrictions website at https://www.idl.idaho.gov/restrictions.