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What Fire Restrictions Mean To You

Common activities and how they are affected by Stage I and Stage II fire restrictions are shown below. See the full definition of Stage I and Stage II fire restrictions below this chart.

  Stage I Stage II Closure
Campfire or Other Fire * No Fires - unless site is posted with specific exemptions No Fires To be defined if needed by wildland fire agency administrators
Smoking * No, unless within an enclosed vehicle, building, developed recreation site, or area 3 feet in diameter cleared of all flammable materials No, unless within an enclosed vehicle, building, developed recreation site, or area 3 feet in diameter cleared of all flammable materials To be defined if needed by wildland fire agency administrators
Operating any internal combustion engine ** N/A Prohibited from 1 PM to 1 AM Daily To be defined if needed by wildland fire agency administrators
Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame ** N/A Prohibited from 1 PM to 1 AM Daily To be defined if needed by wildland fire agency administrators
Using an explosive ** N/A Prohibited from 1 PM to 1 AM Daily To be defined if needed by wildland fire agency administrators
Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails ** N/A Prohibited from 1 PM to 1 AM Daily To be defined if needed by wildland fire agency administrators
* land within city boundaries is exempt
** a patrol is required for two hours following cessation of all activities as identified above

Violations:

  1. You could be fined up to $5,000 individually or $10,000 for an organization and imprisonment up to 6 months for violating restrictions and closures.
  2. You can be held liable for all suppression costs and damages if you start a fire.


STAGE I

The following acts are prohibited until further notice:

Stage I Fire Restrictions

1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire unless noted in the exemptions below.


Stage I Fire Restrictions

2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Exemptions:

  1. Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
  2. Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
  3. Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.
  4. Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
  5. All land within a city boundary is exempted.
  6. Other exemptions unique to each agency/tribe.
  7. Campfires are permitted in designated steel fire grates in State Parks.

Violations:

  1. You could be fined up to $5,000 individually or $10,000 for an organization and imprisonment up to 6 months for violating restrictions and closures.
  2. You can be held liable for all suppression costs and damages if you start a fire.

STAGE II

The following acts are prohibited until further notice:

Stage II Fire Restrictions

1. Building maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.



Stage II Fire Restrictions

2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.


Stage II Fire Restrictions

3. The following acts are prohibited from 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.:

  1. Operating any internal combustion engine.
  2. Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.
  3. Using an explosive.

A one hour foot patrol in the work area is required following cessation of all activities as identified in #3 above.

Stage II Fire Restrictions

4. Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails.



Exemptions:

  1. Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
  2. Persons using a device fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
  3. Operating generators with an approved spark arresting device within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the generator.
  4. Operating motorized vehicles on designated roads and trails.
  5. Emergency repair of public utilities and railroads as per attached conditions.
  6. Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.
  7. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
  8. All land within a city boundary is exempted.
  9. Other exemptions unique to each agency/tribe.

Violations:

  1. You could be fined up to $5,000 individually or $10,000 for an organization and imprisonment up to 6 months for violating restrictions and closures.
  2. You can be held liable for all suppression costs and damages if you start a fire.

Closure Guidelines

The Geographic Agency Administrators within the Northern Rockies Geographic Area should review these evaluation guidelines and determine threshold levels that substantiate the need for closures.

Examples include:

  • Potential loss of life due to explosive fire conditions.
  • Potential for extreme or blowup fire behavior.
  • Stage II restrictions are not effective in reducing the number of human-caused fires.
  • Resources across the geographic area are at a critical shortage level.

The following standard exemptions will be allowed during closure and will be noted on all closure documents.

Exemptions:

  1. Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
  2. Emergency repair of public utilities and railroads as per attached conditions.
  3. Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.
  4. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
  5. All land within a city boundary is exempted.
  6. Other exemptions unique to each agency/tribe.