It’s that time of year again. If you’ve been following along here, you know I love nothing more than loading up the rig and heading out to some of California’s wide-open BLM lands — but with the dry conditions we’re seeing across the state, the Bureau of Land Management has been rolling out seasonal fire restrictions one field office at a time. So before you plan your next trip, let’s run through what’s changed and where.
These seasonal restrictions stack on top of BLM’s year-round statewide fire prevention order, and they’ll stay in effect “until further notice” — meaning until conditions get wet enough that the fire danger eases up. Here’s the rundown, region by region:
Bakersfield Field Office — effective May 15, 2026 This one covers a lot of ground that off-roaders and campers know well: eastern Fresno, western Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties, plus the Carrizo Plain National Monument, Keysville Special Recreation Management Area, Lake Isabella, and the San Joaquin River Gorge. No campfires, wood, briquette, or charcoal barbecues anywhere — in or out of developed campgrounds. Pressurized gas stoves and grills are okay, but only with a valid California Campfire Permit (free, and easy to get online).
Central Coast Field Office — effective May 15, 2026 Covering western Fresno, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz counties. Same story here — no campfires, briquette, or charcoal barbecues except in agency-provided fire rings or barbecues at developed recreation sites. This is on top of the permanent fire restrictions already in place at Fort Ord National Monument and Cotoni-Coast Dairies, so if you’re headed that way, plan accordingly.
Mother Lode Field Office — effective May 22, 2026 This one hits the Gold Country and Sierra foothills crowd: Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Yuba counties. No campfires or open flame of any kind, including in established campgrounds.
Ukiah Field Office — effective June 5, 2026 And rounding things out, the North Coast and wine country region: Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties are now under the same no-campfire, no-open-flame restrictions.
What this means across the board:
No matter which of these regions you’re exploring, the restrictions generally include:
- No campfires, open flames, or (in most areas) charcoal/briquette barbecues
- No smoking except in vehicles, buildings, or a cleared 3-foot area at developed sites
- No welding or open-flame torches
- No off-road travel with motorized vehicles or tools off designated roads and trails
- Restrictions on target shooting and steel-core/incendiary ammunition — hunting with a valid CA license is still allowed
- Fireworks and pyrotechnics remain prohibited on all BLM land, restrictions or not
A valid California Campfire Permit is required anywhere a stove or fire is allowed — get yours free at readyforwildfire.org.
Bottom line: California’s backcountry is calling, but let’s keep it standing for the next generation of explorers. Check the BLM California Fire Restrictions map before you head out, since these orders can expand to additional field offices as conditions change. And remember — 95% of wildfires in California are human-caused. A little extra care goes a long way.
More info: BLM Bakersfield
Stay safe out there, and I’ll see you on the trail.