Additional Fire Restrictions in Western Nevada and Eastern California began July 9

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Due to the increasing risk of wildfire, the lands west of U.S. Route 395 managed by the Bureau of Land Management's Carson City District and Bureau of Indian Affairs Western Nevada Agency, along with the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest's Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts, went into Stage I Fire Restrictions on Wednesday, July 9, 12:01 a.m. These restrictions will last until further notice.

Federal land managers implement fire restrictions based on several factors including fire activity levels, current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, and the availability of firefighting resources. Due to the current conditions, there is a likelihood of a fire exhibiting extreme behavior and posing containment problems for firefighters. As such, fire restrictions are necessary to reduce the risk of human-caused fires, in turn enhancing public safety and preserving firefighting forces for longer and more extreme fire seasons.

Stage I Fire Restrictions prohibit the following:

1. Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire outside of developed recreation sites. A developed recreation site has Forest Service signage that designates it as an agency-owned campground or day use area and is identified on a Forest Service map as a site developed for that purpose. These areas have approved fire pits and may have water and/or other facilities provided. It is not a dispersed site, or an area that has simply been improved by other campers.

   Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, campfires are not allowed in any area outside of developed recreation sites. Portable stoves, fire pits, or grills that use wood or charcoal are also prohibited in both dispersed and developed areas.

   Portable stoves or fires that use gas, liquid fuel, etc., are allowed on all forest lands, provided they have a contained fuel source and an on/off switch. Additionally, California campfire permits are required for campfires in developed sites and for the use of any portable stove, regardless of fire restriction level, in the state of California.

2. Smoking outside an enclosed vehicle or building. Exception: smoking while stopped in an area at least           three feet in diameter that is clear of all flammable materials.
3. Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame.
4. Using an explosive. Please remember, fireworks and exploding targets are never permitted on public lands.
5. Operating a chainsaw or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine between 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Woodcutting and other activities need to be completed prior to 1 p.m. daily. It is always prohibited to operate or use any internal or external combustion engine without an approved USDA spark arrestor that is properly installed, maintained, and in effective working order.

All agencies recommend when operating vehicles or equipment traveling on or using wildland areas to have at least an axe, shovel and one gallon of water and to carry cell phones while in the wildlands or national forests to report wildfires. 

 As fire season continues all agencies will be aggressively citing those who do not comply with the posted restrictions. Violation of these prohibitions is subject to punishment by a fine and/or imprisonment (agency statutes vary). Persons may also be responsible for resource damage, suppression costs and any injuries that occur if they are found liable for causing a wildfire.

 As a reminder, the following safety tips should be followed while target shooting:

• Refrain from shooting during hot, dry, and windy conditions.
• Do not use incendiary or tracer ammo. Incendiary and tracer ammo are always prohibited on public lands.
• Place your targets on dirt or gravel areas clear of vegetation and avoid shooting into rocky areas. Placing a target in dry grass increases the risk of fire.
• Be aware that all types of ammunition can start fires under the right conditions, especially steel core ammunition.
• Bring a container of water. This may seem obvious, but shooters often fail to bring enough water to put a fire out. A five-gallon bucket of water readily available while shooting could prevent a disaster if a fire does start.
• Bring a shovel. Use the shovel to dig a trench around your targets before shooting to ensure that any fire caused by sparks can be easily contained.
• Shoot at quality steel targets designed to minimize risks to both the shooter and the environment. For steel targets to be functional and safe, they should be made of high quality through hardened steel that has a Brinell hardness number of at least 500.
• Do not shoot trash. Trash like old couches and TVs can often be found illegally dumped on public land but can be dangerous fire hazards when shot.
• Please shoot responsibly and clean up after shooting.

Affected areas include the following:

BLM - All areas, roads, and trails on all public lands within the BLM-Carson City District. These restrictions are in addition to and not separate from those which were issued at the BLM state level. https://bit.ly/3Qifalb

 USFS – All areas, roads, and trails within the Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest with the exception of using campfires within the approved fire pits or grills provided in open fee recreation sites.

 BIA - All areas, roads, and trails that are located within and managed by the BIA -Western Nevad Agency including the Pine Nut Allotments. Tribally owned lands are under the jurisdiction of the individual Tribal Councils and may have designated areas where fire restrictions may be exempt.

 For additional information about fire restrictions in Nevada can be found at: https://www.nevadafireinfo.org/.