Navigating Fire Restrictions Is Key For Wyoming’s Summer Fun

That last thing a person wants to do is start a wildfire and put land, buildings, and people in danger. Now that we're entering summer vacation and camping season, being aware of fire restrictions is one way you can do your part to ensure the summer isn't a literal hot mess.

In Wyoming, there are multiple fire restriction jurisdictions you need to be aware of if you're heading outside of the city to go on an adventure: County, State, and Federal.

I know, another "clear as mud" thing you need to sort out, but if you want a campfire when you're camping, you'll need to be aware of the restrictions.

I bring this up because there aren't restrictions in some counties around Wyoming, but there are fire restrictions in place in some BLM areas, including in counties where restrictions aren't in place.

County fire restrictions:  Applies to private and state lands within the unincorporated areas of the county. These are typically issued by the County Commissioners.

State fire restrictions:  Enacted at the state level (usually by the Governor or the Wyoming State Forestry Division) in response to widespread, severe drought or emergencies. State restrictions generally apply to all state-owned lands and may trigger a statewide ban on specific activities.

Federal fire restrictions: Apply only to public lands administered by the federal government, such as BLM-managed open spaces.

There are three stages of fire restrictions:

Stage I
The first stage occurs when there is an increasing fire danger and/or an increasing
preparedness level, and the risks of keeping the forest open to all activities begin
to be outweighed by the risks inherent in doing so.

Stage I imposes relatively minor restrictions aimed at preventing the start of wildfires from human activities known to be high risk, specifically smoking and campfires.

Stage II
As the risks increase, the line officer may choose to move to Stage II. This stage
intensifies the restrictions from Stage I by focusing on activities that, although
Normally managed under permit or contract, have a relatively high risk of causing
a fire to start.

Restrictions under Stage II will affect forest users and will have economic impacts
on contractors, permittees, and others. Therefore, the decision to move to Stage II
will involve a risk/benefit assessment, as well as consideration of economic and
social impacts.

Stage III
Stage III is closure. This stage is selected when there are very high risks and the
ability to manage those risks using Stage I or II restrictions is no longer viable.

The social, economic, and political impacts of implementing a closure at this
point are outweighed by the benefits associated with virtually eliminating the
potential for human-caused fire starts.

Before you head out, check the fire restrictions. You know what Smokey the Bear says, right? Since the majority of wildfires are started by humans, Smokey is right...Only YOU can prevent forest fires.