Fire restrictions on all National Forest System lands within the San Juan National Forest, including wilderness, will be rescinded effective 12:01am tomorrow, Thursday, August 31. Recent rains over the Forest have lessened the risk of wildland fire, allowing restrictions to be lifted. This means campfires are now allowed outside of established Forest Service campgrounds and recreation sites on the San Juan National Forest.
However, rescinding fire restrictions does not mean that fire danger has been eliminated. Lightning fires are reported frequently from the Durango Interagency Dispatch Center, even in higher elevation areas where more rain has fallen. Precipitation has not reached all parts of the San Juan National Forest evenly, meaning fuels in some areas are still dry. The Forest may return to restrictions if conditions dry out late this summer and into fall.
Visitors are encouraged to practice these principles of outdoor fire safety:
- Clear all flammable material within three feet of campfire rings
- Make a fire only if you have a shovel and sufficient water to put it out
- Never leave a fire unattended
- Keep fires small and manageable
- Extinguish fires completely. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave. Every campfire should be put DEAD OUT before leaving it
For more information about the San Juan National Forest, call (970) 247-4874, visit the forest website.