LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As temperatures go up across Southern Nevada, multiple agencies now have fire restrictions in effect.
That includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Clark County, Moapa Valley Fire Protection District, Mesquite Fire Rescue, Mount Charleston Fire Protection District, National Park Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nye County, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the USDA Forest Service.
The Stage I fire restrictions include:
- Setting, building, maintaining, attending, or using an open fire of any kind is prohibited. The only exception is campfires within approved fire pits and grills provided for developed recreation sites. Controlled flame devices such as portable stoves and lanterns with shut-off valves, using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed.
- Smoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or camp trailer, or while stopped or standing in a three-foot diameter area barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
- Operating or parking a vehicle or other motorized equipment over or on top of dried/cured vegetation is prohibited.
- Any Hot Work involving electric or gas welding, cutting, brazing, or similar flame or spark-producing operations are prohibited.
Several agencies have additional restrictions in place, which you can see below.
BLM, Southern Nevada District's Year-Round Fire Restrictions
- Possessing, discharging, using, or allowing the use of fireworks, pyrotechnic or incendiary devices is prohibited.
- Possessing, discharging, igniting, or causing to burn; explosives or explosive material, including binary explosive targets is prohibited.
- Discharging a firearm using tracer, incendiary, or steel-component ammunition is prohibited.
Nevada Division of Forestry
- In Nevada state parks, park staff may or may not allow campfires on a day-to-day basis based on current local weather conditions. During Red Flag Warnings or other weather events, park staff may post signage stating campfires are not allowed.
Nye County
- No discharging of fireworks, pyrotechnics, or incendiary devices.
Pahrump
- Property owners must obtain a burn permit during burn season at 300 North Highway 160.
- The burn moratorium is from May 15 through November 1. No burning is permitted during this period of time.
There are some exceptions to the fire restrictions.
For example, Clark County allows small fires for religious or ceremonial purposes, cooking, and to stay warm, as long as they don't become a public nuisance. They add that any burning must be controlled so that public nuisance or traffic hazards are not created as a result of the air contaminants being emitted.
At the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, wood or charcoal fires are allowed in grills at developed picnic areas and campgrounds where a host is present. They are also allowed on the shoreline where natural vegetation is at least 100 feet from the shoreline. Barbecue grills are also allowed on private boats outside the harbors of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. Rental boats are authorized to use barbecues attached to the vessel, if it's allowed under the rental boat agreement. All vessel barbecue fires must be at least 100 feet away from shoreline vegetation.
The Fire Prevention Order is scheduled to remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2024, unless the agencies decide to rescind it earlier.
The agencies are recommending that you have a shovel, fire extinguisher, and/or at least five gallons of water on hand in the event a fire starts accidentally.
You can see the latest fire restrictions and learn more at nevadafireinfo.org.
