Fire Restrictions Lifted

Both the Tahoe National Forest and the Eldorado National Forest have lifted fire restrictions.

TNF: “Fire restrictions on the Tahoe National Forest have ended, effective today, Oct. 2, 2023.”

ENF: “Due to cooler weather conditions and above average fuel moisture levels, the Eldorado National Forest will lift fire restrictions order 03-23-11 effective Friday October 6^th, 2023.”

The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has year-round fire restrictions. Fires are only ever allowed in official USFS fire rings in USFS official campgrounds.

Just because the fire restrictions have been lifted, it doesn’t mean there is no risk to a wildfire. Campfire permits are still required.

This is an image I never want to see again. This was the North Fire five years ago in the TNF.

From the Smokey Bear website:

• Make sure you are at a site that allows campfires.
• Make sure there are no burn bans and it’s not too windy.
• Dig a pit away from overhanging branches.
• Circle the pit with rocks.
• Clear a 10-foot area around the pit down to the dirt, removing anything that could catch on fire.
• Stack extra wood upwind and away from fire.
• After lighting, throw the match into the fire.
• Never leave a campfire unattended; an adult should supervise the campfire at all times.
• Keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby.
• Never put anything but wood into the fire.
• Do not pull sticks out of the fire.
• Do not sit on the fire ring or rocks around the campfire. They will heat up quickly and they’ll stay hot for a long time.
• When it’s time to put the fire out, dump lots of water on it, stir it with a shovel, then dump more water on it. Make sure it is COLD before leaving the campsite. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave!

The question I will ask is: “Do you have a plan for putting the fire out?” And that goes for a fire that stayed in the fire ring and for the fire that somehow got out of your fire ring.

Do you have a shovel, staged at the fire ring? Do you have a container filled with water at the fire ring? Do you have a plan to refill that container because I don’t care how big that container is, you will have to refill it many, many times to completely put out the fire until the fire coals are cool to the touch.

Be safe.

.

Rubicon Ronin