Nevada Fire Information

News Release

Bureau of Land Management,Carson City District, Contact: Lisa Ross, 775-885-6107

Nevada Division of Forestry,Western Region, Contact: Eric Antle, 775-315-4572

Bureau of Indian Affairs,Western Nevada Agency, Contact: Gerry Emm, 775-887-3500
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,Contact: Carl Lunderstadt, 775-423-5128, Ext. 235

Fire Restrictions in Western Nevada to Begin June 30

Due to the historic wet winter and spring, drying vegetation, increasing daytime temperatures, and several human-caused fires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City District Office; the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF), Western Region; the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Western Nevada Agency; and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex announce the implementation of fire restrictions on all lands under their jurisdiction effective Friday, June 30, at 12:01 a.m. and lasting until further notice.

Vegetation in western Nevada and eastern California is significantly more then we have seen in previous years (including 2016) because of the wet winter and spring. Warmer than average temperatures have increased the rate of vegetation dry-out. A large crop of grass and brush is evident at lower elevations and trees and other forest vegetation at higher elevations is quickly drying out. People are encouraged to safely enjoy the public lands, bearing in mind that human-caused fires threaten human life, private property, and public land resources every summer.

The potential for devastating fires during the summer is very real. Report fires to the Sierra Front Interagency Fire Dispatch Center, Minden, Nevada, 775-883-5995, or dial 911.



Fire restrictions prohibit the following:
1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire (using wood, charcoal or any other material), campfire, or stove fire except a portable stove using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel outside of a developed fee campground or picnic area (except by permit). 
2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or at a developed campground or picnic area.
3. Operating vehicles or other motorized equipment off of existing paved, gravel, or dirt roads. 
4. Welding or operating an acetylene torch with open flames, except by permit. 
5. Using, or causing to be used, any explosive, except by permit. 
6. Possession or use of fireworks or any other incendiary device. 
7. Use of tracer rounds (always prohibited), steel-core ammunition, or exploding targets, including Binary Explosive Targets while recreational shooting.

In addition, the NDF prohibits operating vehicles or equipment traveling on or using wildland areas without at least an axe, shovel and one gallon of water. All agencies recommend that individuals carry cell phones while in the wildlands or national forests to report wildfires.

As a reminder, the following safety tips should be followed while target shooting:

• Refrain from shooting during hot, dry and windy conditions. 
• Don’t use incendiary or tracer ammo – Incendiary and tracer ammo are always prohibited on public lands. 
• Place your targets on dirt or gravel areas clear of vegetation and avoid shooting into rocky areas. Placing a target in dry grass increases the risk of fire. 
• Be aware that all types of ammunition can start fires under the right conditions, especially steel core ammunition. 
• Bring a container of water. This may seem obvious, but shooters often fail to bring enough water to put a fire out. A five gallon bucket of water readily available while shooting could prevent a disaster if a fire does start. 
• Bring a shovel. Use the shovel to dig a trench around your targets before shooting to ensure that any fire caused by sparks can be easily contained. 
• Shoot at quality steel targets designed to minimize risks to both the shooter and the environment. For steel targets to be functional and safe, they should be made of high quality through hardened steel that has a Brinell hardness number of at least 500. 
• Don’t shoot trash. Trash like old couches and TVs can often be found illegally dumped on public land but can be dangerous fire hazards when shot. 
• Please shoot responsibly and clean up after shooting.

Affected areas include the following:

BLM – All areas, roads and trails on the BLM-Carson City District outside of developed recreation sites with the exception of Sand Mountain Recreation Area

NDF – All areas, roads and trails on state lands including the following state parks: Lake Tahoe Nevada, Washoe Lake, Berlin-Ichthyosaur, Rye Patch State Recreation Area, the Carson River Ranches portion of Ft. Churchill, and Dayton in western Nevada.

BIA – All lands administered by the BIA located within or adjacent to the BLM NV Carson City District. Approximately 300 allotments encompassing 59,310 acres in Douglas County, Nevada, within the Carson Watershed that the U.S. Government (BIA) holds in trust for hundreds of individual Indian landowners, collectively known as the Pine Nut Allotments.

USFWS – All areas, roads and trails within the boundaries of the Stillwater, Anaho Island, and Fallon National Wildlife Refuges. Campfires are prohibited on these refuge lands year-round.


As fire season continues the BLM, NDF, BIA, and USFWS will be aggressively citing those who do not comply with the posted restrictions. Violation of these prohibitions is subject to punishment by a fine and/or imprisonment (agency statutes vary). Persons may also be responsible for resource damage, suppression costs, and any injuries that occur if they are found liable for causing a wildfire.

For more information or clarification on the restrictions, please contact the BLM-Carson City District Office at 775-885-6000, the NDF at 775-684-2500; the BIA at 775-887-3500; and the USFWS at 775-423-5128.

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