BLM reduces Stage II fire restrictions in the California Desert District
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MORENO VALLEY, Calif. – Effective immediately, the Bureau of Land Management has reduced Stage II fire restrictions to Stage I for all of Imperial County and parts of Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Inyo, Mono, and Kern counties.
The BLM is committed to keeping public landscapes healthy and productive. “Even though the fire restrictions have been reduced for some areas of the District, fire safety is still our biggest priority,” said BLM California Desert District Manager Andrew Archuleta. “It’s important to be very careful when using fire or participating in recreational shooting on public lands. Under the right conditions, wildfires can still start, spread rapidly and become dangerous.”
Changes to the updated Fire Prevention Order, include:
- Campfires, barbecues and gas stoves are allowed in designated Stage I areas, but only with a valid California campfire permit. Smoking is also allowed in Stage I designated areas.
- Stage III fire restrictions for BLM-managed public lands will remain in place for Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Mono, and San Diego counties.
- Recreational target shooting remains temporarily prohibited in many Stage III designated areas on BLM-managed public lands in southern Kern, western Riverside, western San Bernardino, eastern Los Angeles and all of San Diego counties. Please check with the local Field Office for more information on specific locations.
During the issuance of Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches, as determined by the National Weather Service (NWS), all recreational shooting and use of campfires, regardless of stage restrictions, will be temporarily suspended to reduce the potential of unintended wildland fire ignitions for the period of the event.
This order will remain until Dec. 31 unless terminated sooner. Termination of this order prior to Dec. 31 could occur if there is a substantial reduction in the fire danger in the areas under Stage III restrictions.
The BLM greatly appreciates the public’s cooperation in helping to minimize the number of human-caused wildfires. The public is reminded to exercise extreme caution when using fire and to follow these precautions:
1) Make sure to have a five-foot circle cleared around a campfire.
2) Be sure to have a shovel and plenty of water on hand and put the fire DEAD OUT before leaving.
3) Make sure cigarettes or cigars are put out when finished and disposed of properly.
4) Park motor vehicles away from locations where exhaust could cause grass or other combustibles to ignite.
Specific descriptions of fire restrictions and the updated Fire Prevention Order and map are available at:
The public can find additional information about wildfire on Cal Fire’s website at http://www.readyforwildfire.org/One-Less-Spark-Campaign/, or by following #wildfireweatheraware on Twitter.
For more information about wildfire prevention from the BLM, please contact: California Desert District Office 951-697-5200; Barstow Field Office, 760-252-6000; El Centro Field Office, 760-337-4400; Needles Field Office, 760-326-7000; Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 760-833-7100; or Ridgecrest Field Office, 760- 384-5400.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.