Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to implement Stage I fire restrictions Wednesday

In response to the current and growing risk of wildfire, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest will implement Stage I Fire Restrictions, effective Wednesday, June 30.

USDA Forest Service land managers implement/increase fire restrictions based on several factors including fire activity levels, current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, and the availability of firefighting resources.

Due to the current conditions, there is a likelihood of a fire exhibiting extreme behavior and posing containment problems for firefighters. As such, fire restrictions are necessary to reduce the risk of human-caused fires, in turn enhancing public safety and preserving firefighting forces for longer and more extreme fire seasons.

“With much of California and Nevada experiencing record drought, fire danger is significantly elevated,” said Acting Forest Fire Management Officer Jeremy Kiesling. “We are implementing these restrictions to minimize the risk of human caused wildfires damaging our forests and communities.”

Stage I Fire Restrictions prohibit the following on Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest lands:

— Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire outside of developed recreation sites. A developed recreation site has Forest Service signage that designates it as an agency-owned campground or day use area and is identified on a Forest Service map as a site developed for that purpose. These areas have approved fire pits and may have water and/or other facilities provided. It is not a dispersed site, or an area that has simply been improved by other campers. Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, campfires are not allowed in any area outside of developed recreation sites. Portable stoves, fire pits, or grills that use wood or charcoal are also prohibited in both dispersed and developed areas under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Portable stoves or fires that use gas, liquid fuel, etc., are allowed on all forest lands, provided they have a contained fuel source and an on/off switch. Additionally, California campfire permits are required for campfires in developed sites and for the use of any portable stove, regardless of fire restriction level, in the state of California.

— Smoking, outside an enclosed vehicle or building. Exception: smoking while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is clear of all flammable materials.

— Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame.

— Using an explosive. Please remember, fireworks and exploding targets are never permitted on public lands.

— Operating a chainsaw or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine between 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Woodcutting and other activities need to be completed prior to 1 p.m. daily. It is always prohibited to operate or use any internal or external combustion engine without an approved USDA spark arrestor that is properly installed, maintained, and in effective working order.

Please obey all fire restrictions. Failure to comply with these restrictions may result in criminal and/or civil penalties, including up to $5,000 in fines and/or six months in jail. In addition, anyone found responsible for starting a wildfire can be held civilly and criminally liable.

The public is the first line of defense in preventing wildfires. Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest fire management and firefighters thank you for recreating responsibly and using extra precaution to prevent wildfires.

For more information regarding fire restrictions on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, please visit here or here for answers to frequently asked questions.

To view current fire restriction orders across land management agencies, visit www.nevadafireinfo.org. For continued updates and to participate in the conversation, follow the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest on Facebook at https://facebook.com/HumboldtToiyabeNF/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HumboldtToiyabe.