< All Press Releases

CHEYENNE. Wyo. —The Bureau of Land Management would like to remind everyone to take precautions to prevent wildfires on public lands this Memorial Day weekend. Even with a few wet spring storms it is important to be careful when camping and recreating.

“Our firefighters are preparing for fire season, and they need your help to prevent human-caused wildfires” said BLM Wyoming Assistant State Fire Management Officer Richard Putnam, “About 87 percent of all wildfires across the nation each year are ​human caused, which means they are preventable. As the weather warms up, we all need to do our part to protect our communities and natural resources. As you go outside with friends and family over the holiday weekend, please remember to practice fire safety.”

Human-caused wildfires can easily be prevented. For the safety of our firefighters and protecting Wyoming lands, here are some things to remember to prevent wildfires:

•  If towing a boat or trailer, ensure your safety chains are properly secure and not dragging on the ground. 
• Never park your vehicle over dead grass and avoid driving through tall grass—your vehicle can ignite the fuels and start a fire. 
• When camping, never leave your campfire unattended. Ensure your campfire is “dead” out before leaving or turning in for the night. If your campfire is too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.
• Open fires and camping are not allowed on Wyoming State Trust Land.
• If target shooting, please take all the proper precaution measures to be fire-safe—select an area that is free of flammable materials and bring a fire extinguisher or water to extinguish any flames. Exploding targets and tracer ammunition is prohibited for use on all public lands (i.e. BLM surface lands) in Wyoming per the year-round wildfire prevention restrictions.