California Desert District
| Contacts: | David Briery | , 951-697-5220 | ||
| Stephen Razo | , 951-697-5217 |
BLM Lifts Campfire Restrictions in the California Desert District
Effective November 15, the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) California Desert District has lifted its campfire restrictions on all BLM-managed public lands in southern California within the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA).
"Because we have declared our fire season over, the public will not be required to obtain a campfire permit throughout the CDCA," said Teri Raml, BLM California Desert District Manager. "However, campers still are required to provide proper clearance of flammable fuels to a minimum of five feet and to have a shovel or other extinguishing tools readily available."
The following elements of the fire prevention order remain in place and are prohibited:
- Use/ignition of all fireworks;
- Possession or discharge of a firearm using incendiary, tracer, steel core, or armor piercing ammunition;
- Ignition or burning of any tire, petroleum product, wires, magnesium, or any other hazardous or explosive materials;
- All off-road vehicles being operated on public lands must be equipped with a properly installed spark arrester, and are required at all times throughout the year.
These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions in Title 43 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 9212.1. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates the regulations shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment of not more than 12 months, or both.
For more information contact any of the following BLM offices: 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) 251-4800 or Ridgecrest Field Office (760) 384-5400.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. In Fiscal Year 2012, activities on public lands generated $4.6 billion in revenue, much of which was shared with the States where the activities occurred. In addition, public lands contributed more than $112 billion to the U.S. economy and helped support more than 500,000 jobs.