Grand Canyon to join Arizona national parks in lifting fire restrictions
Jul 13, 2018, 4:01 AM
(National Park Service Photo)
(National Park Service Photo)
PHOENIX — Another national park announced it would lift fire restrictions this week due to an onset of monsoon activity.
The Grand Canyon National Park will lift its stage 2 fire restrictions by 8 a.m. Friday, it was announced on Thursday.
This means that visitors will be allowed to use charcoal grills and have campfires. Firewood can be purchased at park concessions operations.
The recent monsoon storms that have moved through the area “significantly lowered the fire danger risk,” park officials said.
However, the park still remains under stage 1 restrictions, which requires that campers build a campfire within a designated fire ring on a maintained campground.
Hikers and campers within the inner canyon can also use gas cook stoves, but campfires and other open fires are not allowed below the rim.
The park entered stage 2 restrictions on June 11.
A number of national forests in Arizona also lifted its fire restrictions this week after the onset of monsoon activity raised humidity levels enough to make for safer conditions.
Coconino National Forest said all of its fire restrictions and area closures were being lifted, while Kaibab National Forest said its stage 2 fire restrictions in the forest’s Williams and Tusayan ranger districts south of the Grand Canyon will be lifted.
The Prescott National Forest also announced it would lift all fire restrictions and the area closure on the Bradshaw Ranger District by 8 a.m. on Friday.
At Tonto National Forest, campfire and smoking restrictions will be lifted by 8 a.m. Friday as well.
