SILVER CITY, NM – May 27, 2022— Before heading to the Gila National Forest over
the Memorial Day weekend, support firefighters and protect your community by always
practicing fire safety.
It’s important to Know Before You Go while planning your adventure. Always check for fire restrictions and closures in the area you plan to visit before you leave.
The Gila National Forest remains under Stage 2 fire restrictions. The order prohibits the
following:
• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including charcoal and briquettes.
• Any open flame, including camp stoves and flammable gel canisters.
• Generators without spark arrestors outside a three-foot cleared diameter.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three (3) feet in diameter that is barren or cleared
of any flammable material.
• Blasting, welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame.
• Using an explosive.
• Possessing or using a motor vehicle off National Forest System roads, except when parking in an area devoid of vegetation within 10 feet of the roadway and except for parking overnight in Forest Service-developed campgrounds and trailheads.
• During the hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., operating a chainsaw or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine.
Acting Forest Supervisor Michael Martinez said, “We recognize our public trust
responsibility to balance public lands access with wildfire prevention and closing the forest is often the last resort option we have as we take as many steps as we can to reduce the potential for severe wildfire. We will also have a national fire prevention education team in place on May 26 to leverage their highly effective methods to reduce human-caused fires and rapidly complete on-site prevention assessments and plans. Working together, we can prevent human-caused wildfires.”
Prior to traveling, even short distances, do a 360 walk-around and make sure your vehicle is ready to travel, that tires and brakes are in good working order and that you are not dragging chains. Vehicles can emit particles from the exhaust or pieces of a failing catalytic converter that start roadside fires. The best prevention method is good vehicle maintenance. Once enroute, ensure that all smoking-related materials are safely disposed of and do not park on dry grass.