Plan your next fire accordingly – it could already be restricted.
In light of the recent fires, hot weather, and the excessive amount of dry vegetation throughout the Bighorn Basin, Stage 1 fire restrictions have been implemented by the Bureau of Land Management Lander Field Office in Fremont, Hot Springs and Natrona counties; Worland Field Office in Washakie, Hot Springs and Big Horn counties; and Cody Field Office in Park and Big Horn counties. This means the following practices are banned in all areas managed by the BLM:
- Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire except within agency-provided fire grates at developed recreation sites, or within fully enclosed stoves with a ¼” spark arrester type screen, or within fully enclosed grills, or in stoves using pressurized liquid or gas.
- Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
- Operating a chainsaw without a U.S. Department of Agriculture or Society of Automotive Engineers approved spark arrester properly installed and working, a chemical fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity by weight, and one round point shovel with an overall length of at least 36 inches.
- Using a welder, either arc or gas, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame, except in cleared areas of at least 10 feet in diameter with a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity.
These restrictions are in addition to the usual slew of year-round wildfire prevention restrictions on BLM-administered lands throughout the state, which include:
- Discharging or using any fireworks.
- Discharging a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition.
- Burning, igniting or causing to burn any tire, wire, magnesium or any other hazardous or explosive material.
- Operating any off-road vehicle on public lands unless the vehicle is equipped with a properly installed spark arrester pursuant
- Use/discharge of explosives of any kind, incendiary devices, pyrotechnic devices, or exploding targets.
Failure to comply with fire restrictions on federal lands is punishable by law. Those found responsible for starting wildfires will also face restitution costs for suppressing the fire.
