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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Bakersfield Field Office is issuing fire restrictions effective immediately for federal public lands in several Central California counties to respond to increasing fire danger.

These restrictions include all BLM-managed public lands in Tulare, Fresno, Kings, Kern, Madera, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties. Fire restrictions will affect all BLM recreational areas including Three Rivers, San Joaquin River Gorge, Lake Isabella, Chimney Peak, Kennedy Meadows and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. 

Portable stoves with gas, jellied petroleum or pressured liquid fuel are authorized with a valid California campfire permit, but the public is asked to be extremely careful with their use and carry a shovel and water at all times.

Other restrictions include:

• No tools powered by internal combustion engines off established roads or trails.
• No smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or at a designated developed recreation site, or other designated areas.
• No motorized vehicles off established roads or trails.
• No shooting using incendiary, tracer, steel core or armor piercing ammunition.
• No fireworks, including “safe and sane” fireworks.
• No welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame, except by special permit.
• No use of explosives, except by special permit.

The BLM advises homeowners to keep 100 feet of clean open space around their homes to provide defensible space. Doing so will help the firefighters protect families from uncontrolled wildfire and will improve the chances of homes suffering fire damage or total loss. For more information about defensible space, visit http://www.readyforwildfire.org/. For specific questions, contact Ruth Ellison at (661) 391- 6169.