July 20, 2017 - EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is initiating emergency target shooting restrictions on public lands managed by the Mother Lode Field Office in 15 central California counties, beginning Thursday, July 20, due to high fire potential. The temporary restriction will remain in place until fire dangers subside. Use of firearms for hunting is still allowed.

The counties under this emergency restriction are Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, and Yuba counties.

“Because of the record rains, there is a tremendous amount of available fire fuel. Combined with high temperatures and low humidity, we have already seen numerous fires with extreme fire behavior claiming structures, and threatening the public and wildland firefighters,” says Acting Field Manager James Eicher, BLM Mother Lode Field Office. “We need to take every precaution possible during this season of extreme fire danger to ensure one less spark means one less wildfire.”

In June, the Mother Lode Field Office implemented seasonal fire restrictions limiting all campfires and barbecues to fire rings in designated campgrounds. Portable stoves with gas, jellied petroleum or pressured liquid fuel are authorized with a valid California campfire permit. Visitors should, however, be extremely careful with their use and should carry shovels and water to help put out fire.

Other fire safety restrictions include:

• Do not operate tools powered by internal combustion engines off established roads or trails.  
• No smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or at a designated developed recreation site, or other designated areas.
• No motorized vehicles off established roads or trails.
• No fireworks, including “safe and sane” fireworks.

The Mother Lode Field Office manages approximately 230,000 acres of public land in all or portions of these 15 central California counties, including acreage that is within the historic Mother Lode region of the Sierra Nevada Range. The BLM greatly appreciates the public’s cooperation in helping to minimize the number of human-caused wildfires. More fire information can be found at https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation, or by calling the Mother Lode Field Office at (916) 941-3101.
Source: BLM