BLM announces Southern Nevada Fire Restrictions
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LAS VEGAS – Due to increasingly high temperatures drying vegetation, Bureau of Land Management Southern Nevada District is implementing fire restrictions beginning May 9.
“Public lands should be enjoyed, but they must be enjoyed responsibly to reduce the number of human-caused fires,” said Geoff Wallin, BLM Southern Nevada District Fire Management Officer. “If you would like to cook while on public lands, use a camp stove instead of an open fire. If you are target shooting, don’t use steel core ammo or exploding targets.”
Fire restrictions prohibit:
- building and/or using a campfire or charcoal stove (using portable stove using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel OK providing it has an on/off switch)
- welding or operating an acetylene torch with open flames (except by permit)
- using any explosive (except by permit)
- using fireworks or firing a tracer
- operating an off-road vehicle without a spark arrestor
- steel core ammunition and explosive targets as they are known fire starters
- smoking is allowed in an enclosed vehicle only
“More than half of wildland fires in Southern Nevada are caused by humans,” said Wallin. “Southern Nevada is currently experiencing a more active than normal fire season because of the abundant invasive grasses that grew due to the high precipitation over the spring.”
Last Saturday, firefighters responded to two wildland fires near Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and multiple wildland fires near Seven Magic Mountains that burned almost 200 acres. All were human-caused fires.
BLM Nevada joined state and federal land management agencies in enacting coordinated Nevada-wide fire restrictions on April 15 in response to COVID-19. For more information, please visit https://www.blm.gov/press-release/nevada-land-management-agencies-announce-early-fire-restrictions-response-covid-19
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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.