Reclamation announces support for fire restrictions issued for Southern California

Boulder City, Nev. - Due to increasingly high temperatures, low humidity, and dry vegetation, the Bureau of Reclamation is immediately implementing fire restrictions to help reduce the risk of wildfires on lands it manages or maintains in Imperial and Riverside counties in California, and in support of Bureau of Land Management fire restrictions issued by the agency in April 2026.

These fire restrictions prohibit:

• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, a campfire or charcoal stove (except within the approved fire pits or grills provided in developed recreation sites). Operating a portable stove using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel is allowed, but should be used with care.
• Welding or operating an acetylene torch with open flames (except by permit).
• Using, or causing to be used, any explosive, except by permit. Use of all fireworks (including Safe and Sane) is prohibited.
• Possession and/or use of tracer rounds, steel-jacket ammunition, explosive targets or any other incendiary device.
• Operating a motor vehicle or combustion engine equipment without a spark arrestor.
• Smoking is allowed in an enclosed vehicle only.

In addition, Reclamation supports all Bureau of Land Management Fire Prevention orders and restrictions issued in each state. Violation of these restrictions can result in a fine, imprisonment for up to a period of six months or both.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS ORDER

This Notice of Temporary Restrictions is issued to help reduce the risk of wildfires on Reclamation managed lands in Imperial and Riverside Counties, California and in support of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fire restrictions issued across the California Desert District in April 2026. These restrictions are instituted pursuant to Title 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 423 and 429 and are in effect until the California Desert District Office BLM rescind their seasonal restrictions.

The restrictions are necessary due to high temperatures and low humidity, creating conditions for rapid spread of wildfires. These fire restrictions prohibit:

• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, a campfire or charcoal stove (except within the approved fire pits or grills provided in developed recreation sites). Using a portable stove using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel is allowed, but should be used with care.

• Welding or operating an acetylene torch with open flames (except by permit).

• Using, or causing to be used, any explosive, except by permit. Use of all fireworks (including Safe and sane) is prohibited on Reclamation-managed land in Imperial and Riverside Counties, California (43 CFR §423.30(c)).

• Possession and/or use of tracer rounds, steel-jacket ammunition, explosive targets, or any other incendiary device.

• Operating a motor vehicle or combustion engine equipment without a spark arrestor (43 CFR §420.11(c)).

• Smoking is allowed in an enclosed vehicle only.

• Reclamation supports the Bureau of Land Management Fire Prevention Order; therefore, the greater restriction is in effect.

Pursuant to 43 CFR §423.60, each of the following persons is exempt from this order:

1. Persons with a permit specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or omission.

2. Any Federal, state, local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.

Under section (l)(a) of Public Law 107-69, you are subject to a fine under chapter 227, subchapter C of title 18 United States Code (18 U.S.C. 3571) or can be imprisoned for not more than 6 months, or both, if you violate these restrictions.

For additional information regarding these fire restrictions, please contact Justin DeMaio, Archeologist with the Lower Colorado Basin's Environmental Compliance Group, at telephone (702) 293-8359 or via email at [email protected].