BLM Implements Temporary Fire Restrictions

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Sonora, CA — Seasonal fire restrictions, including temporary limitations on target shooting, have been issued by the Mother Lode Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The restrictions, due to dry conditions and wildland fire danger, are on public lands in Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Tuolumne counties. These seasonal restrictions are in addition to the year-round statewide fire prevention order, issued in April of last year, and will remain in effect until further notice. They will remain in place until the fire danger subsides. The restrictions include: campfires and barbeques only allowed in developed campsites, no target shooting, motorized vehicles must stay on designated trails, no smoking, welding, or explosives are allowed. Violators can face up to a $100,000 fine and a year in jail.

In 2020, around 275 wildland fires burned nearly 200,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands in California. That does not bode well for this year, as an increase in wildfire severity is expected along with an expansion of wildfire season over much of the western United States, according to BLM. Specific questions can be directed to the Mother Lode Field Office at 916-941-3101.