Year-Round Rules Still Apply
On October 30 the Bureau of Land Management lifted seasonal fire restrictions on BLM-managed public lands in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, southern Inyo, eastern Mono, San Diego, and eastern Kern counties. Campfires, barbecues, and gas stoves are allowed again on those BLM lands — but only with a valid California campfire permit. Permits are required outside developed campgrounds and are available for free at readyforwildfire.org or at any BLM, Forest Service, or CAL FIRE office.
Lifting the seasonal fire restrictions does not change the year-round fire rules that apply to all BLM lands in California. The statewide Fire Prevention Order and the California Desert District Year-Round Fire Prevention Order remain in effect across all BLM-managed lands.
Recreational shooting and target setup are treated separately. During National Weather Service Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches, the BLM will suspend recreational target shooting in affected areas. The year-round orders prohibit possession and use of steel-jacketed or steel-core ammunition on BLM lands, and shooters are urged not to use steel targets because they can throw sparks. Sparks = fire, fire = bad.
The public is asked to follow commonsense precautions: maintain a five-foot cleared circle around your fire, keep a shovel and plenty of water on hand, fully extinguish and cold-check a fire before leaving, and park where vehicle exhaust can’t ignite dry grass. For an interactive map and the latest fire restrictions across BLM California, consult the California Fire Information and Fire Restrictions website; for alternative shooting locations, visit WhereToShoot.org.