Increased risk of fire starts have prompted Mendocino National Forest officials to issue fire restrictions now in effect through the end of the 2024 fire season.
“Given the red flag weather warnings, the risk of wildland fire is increasing with gusty winds and rapidly drying forest fuels. These restrictions are designed to minimize the chances of human-caused fires in undeveloped areas of the forest,” Forest Fire Management Officer Curtis Coots said. “Visitors can still enjoy a campfire or stove fire in designated fire-safe campgrounds or in Wilderness Areas so long as they have a valid California Campfire Permit.”
Fire restrictions prohibit the following activities:
• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or within the designated recreation sites shown in Exhibit A of the forest order.
• Operating an internal combustion engine, except on National Forest System roads or trails.
• Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame.
• Using an explosive.
• Possessing, discharging or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device.
With a valid California Campfire Permit visitors may use portable stoves or lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel.
Additionally, visitors with a valid California Campfire Permit may enjoy a campfire or stove fire in the Designated Fire Safe Recreation Sites, as well as in federally designated Wilderness Areas.
Forest Service officials stated that more than 90 percent of all wildfires are human caused.
Officials advise visitors to national forests can help prevent wildfires with just a bit of planning and common sense:
• Campfires: Attend your campfire at all times. Ensure your fire is completely extinguished—drown with water (NOT dirt), stir with your shovel, drown again and feel for any heat using the back of your hand. Continue this process until no heat remains.
• Stoves: If using pressurized or bottled liquid fuel stoves, lanterns, or heating devices, use in barren areas with at least 3 feet of clearance from grasses and other debris that may catch fire. Prevent stoves from tipping.
• Vehicles: When traveling, ensure your chains are properly connected. The hot underside of the vehicle and dragging chains can start a fire. Stick to driving on designated roads and trails and be careful to not park your car or OHV in tall, dry vegetation, including grass.
• Spark Arrestors: Ensure that all internal or external combustion engines have a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order.
• Smoking: Extinguish all smoking materials dead out on bare soil. Pack out all cigarette butts and filters.
• Fireworks: Fireworks are prohibited on all national forests year-round, leave them and all other pyrotechnic devices at home.
Similar restrictions are also in effect on neighboring public lands, reported forest officials.
Because restrictions can vary by jurisdiction, visitors should contact the area they plan to visit for specific fire restrictions and conditions.
California campfire permits are available online at https://readyforwildfire.org. The fire restrictions and list of designated firesafe campgrounds are available on the Mendocino National Forest website. Visitors can check the latest alerts, orders and recreation information at https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino.
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