The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City District would like to remind the community to be aware of the increased chance of wildfire due to conditions resulting from a dry spring and recent warmer temperatures.
“The public needs to be mindful of the dry conditions and the increased risk of wildfire.” said Shane McDonald, Fire Management Officer. “We encourage everyone using public lands to be careful in regards to human-caused fires and take appropriate steps to prevent them.”
The following precautions should be taken:
- Never leave a campfire unattended. Extinguish all campfires completely and stir ashes to make sure no hot coals remain and always make sure they are dead out.
- Dispose of cigarettes in proper containers away from any flammable material.
- If off-road vehicle use is allowed, internal combustion equipment should have a spark arrester.
- Avoid driving though dry vegetation or parking your vehicle in high grass or dry vegetation.
- Never use stoves, lanterns or heaters inside a tent.
- Store flammable liquid containers in a safe place.
- Do not shoot tracer bullets or incendiary ammunition.
- Do not shoot in areas of dry fuels especially in times of extreme conditions such as Red Flag Warnings (critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now…or will shortly. A combination of strong winds…low relative humidity…and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential), or a Fire Weather Watch (critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur). Both issued by the National Weather Service.
- · Shoot only at cardboard or paper targets or manufactured thrown-type clay targets.
- Remember, shots fired across open desert can travel more than a mile and can cause a wildfire.
- At the first sign of a wildfire, contact Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center at 775-883-5995 or call 911.
In 2013 there have been six human caused fires and 2.5 acres burned on public lands within the Carson City BLM District.
In collaboration with our local wildfire cooperators, the Carson City BLM District will monitor fuels conditions and the potential need for fire restrictions as the season progresses.
For more information contact Lisa Ross at 775-623-6107.
