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SPOKANE, WA. — Elevated fire danger has prompted fire management officials with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to implement additional public use restrictions to reduce the risk of wildfire on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in eastern Washington.

Effective at 12:01 a.m., Friday, July 7, 2023, the following activities are prohibited on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Bureau of Reclamation (BOR):

• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire, including charcoal briquette fire. Campfires are allowed at improved campgrounds with designated steel ring fire pits. Visitors are allowed to use portable cooking stoves that use liquified or bottled fuels. Otherwise, campfires or any other type of open fire, including the use of charcoal briquettes, is prohibited.
• Smoking while traveling in timber, brush or grass areas, except in vehicles on roads or on boats on rivers and or lakes, or in cleared areas at least three feet in diameter.
• Because of the elevated fire danger, operating any type of motorized vehicle off developed roadways is prohibited. Parking of vehicles off roadways must be done in an area barren of flammable materials. When operating a motorized vehicle on public lands, you must carry a shovel at least 26 inches in length with at least an eight-inch blade, and either a one-gallon container of water or a fully charged 2.5-pound fire extinguisher. All motorcycles and All-Terrain Vehicles must be equipped with a properly functioning an approved and properly functioning spark arrestor.

These restrictions are in addition to the annual use restrictions and prohibitions on all public lands administered by the BLM in the state of Washington to help reduce the risk of wildfires and protect communities. Those restrictions and prohibitions include: 

• Discharging or using fireworks or pyrotechnic devices; 
• Discharging or using combustible or explosive composition or chemical devices, including exploding targets; 
• Discharging or using tracer, explosive, or incendiary ammunition;
• Discharging steel component (core or jacket) ammunition; 
• Releasing or causing to be released any sky lanterns, airborne paper lanterns, aerial luminaries and/or fire balloons; and
• Shooting at any metallic object, including but not limited to using metal targets for target shooting. 

Visitors to BLM-managed public lands are also required to carry tools with them to ensure small fires can be put out quickly, including a shovel, axe and at least one gallon of water or a 2.5-pound fire extinguisher.

“Nearly ninety percent of wildfires in the state of Washington are human caused, so we are asking everyone to adhere to the additional fire restrictions,” said BLM Spokane District Manager Kurt Pindel, “We appreciate everyone doing their part to avoid starting a wildfire.”

Anyone found guilty of violating a fire prevention order faces significant fines and/or imprisonment. Restitution for total fire suppression and damage costs incurred may be borne by the trespasser.

For additional information regarding fire restrictions and closures, please visit the BLM OR/WA Fire Restrictions Page.