Friday marked the beginning of partial fire restrictions on public lands administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in four Wyoming counties.

The restrictions are in coordination with Natrona, Converse, Platte and Goshen Counties. Under the partial restrictions, these acts are prohibited:

  • 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 USDA or SAE 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.
  • Agency provided fire rings exist on a first come first serve basis at the following locations:
  • Muddy Mountain in the Lodge Pole and Rim campgrounds.
  • On the North Platte River at Pet’s Draw, Golden Current, Chalk Bluffs and Buffaloberry campgrounds.
  • In the South Bighorns at Buffalo Creek and Graves Springs campground.

These fire restrictions are in addition to the year-round wildfire prevention restrictions. The following activities are prohibited year-round on BLM-administered public lands in Wyoming:

  • Discharge or use of any fireworks.
  • Discharge of a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition.
  • Burn, ignite or cause to burn any tire, wire, magnesium, or any other hazardous or explosive material.
  • Operate any off-road vehicle on public lands unless the vehicle is equipped with a properly installed spark arrester pursuant to 43 CFR 8343.1 (c).

The BLM also has partial fire restrictions in place for its lands in Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell, Weston, Crook and Niobrara Counties. Burning restrictions are in place for Albany County, while Stage One fire restrictions have been implemented in Carbon County.

Year-round fire restrictions on BLM lands restrict anyone from discharging or using fireworks, discharging a gun using incendiary or tracer ammunition, causing any hazardous or explosive material such as tire, wire or magnesium to burn, and operating any off-road vehicle on public lands unless the vehicle is equipped with a properly-installed spark arrester.

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