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Las Vegas – Today the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service are implementing fire restrictions in Southern Nevada.  

Agencies will offer a media availability opportunity to discuss these restrictions, last year’s fire statistics and predicted forecast for this year at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area on May 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In conjunction with Wildfire Awareness Month, there will also be a family-friendly event at Red Rock Canyon where visitors can explore fire engines and other apparatus, visit with federal, state and local firefighter representatives and learn about the Living With Fire Program.

Interagency fire restrictions prohibit:

• building and/or using a campfire or charcoal stove (using portable stove using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel OK)
• 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

Agency specific exceptions and additional restrictions are also in place:

• Bureau of Land Management – steel jacket ammunition and explosive targets prohibited as they are known fire starters. Smoking is allowed in an enclosed vehicle only.
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area - wood or charcoal fires allowed in grills of developed picnic areas; wood or charcoal burning devices allowed on the shoreline where natural vegetation is at least 100 feet from the shoreline; barbecue grills allowed on private boats outside the harbors of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave; rental boats are authorized to use barbecues attached to vessel if allowed under rental boat agreement; all vessel barbecue fires must be at least 100 feet away from shoreline vegetation. Smoking is allowed outside of an enclosed vehicle in areas that are cleared of all flammable material for at least three feet.  Cigarettes must be discarded in a car ashtray or an ashtray in a developed area.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - campfires allowed in fire rings at Desert Pass Campground on Desert National Wildlife Refuge; grills in day use area of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge may be used.
• U.S. Forest Service - campfires allowed in developed recreation sites; private property owners allowed approved cooking or heating devices in Mt. Charleston Area. Smoking is allowed outside of an enclosed vehicle in areas that are cleared of all flammable material for at least three feet.

The public is urged to contact the local U.S. Forest Service office at (702) 515-5400, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (702) 515-5450, National Park Service at (702) 293-8990, Bureau of Land Management at (702) 515-5000 or Nevada Division of Forestry at (702) 486-5123 if they have any questions or need clarification on the restrictions.