Notice of Emergency Fire Prevention Orders on Public Land within the Bureau of Land Management Burns District, Oregon
By Mindy McKerrall on Thursday, September 10th, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
HARNEY COUNTY (Released by Bureau of Land Management)-AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Burns District, Oregon
ACTION: Fire prevention orders for public land within the BLM Burns District, Oregon
SUMMARY: The BLM is temporarily prohibiting some activities and uses of the public land during the periods of HIGH fire danger. These regulations are needed to protect natural resources and the public’s health and safety.
DATES: Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 12:01 a.m., and remaining in effect until rescinded.
DISCUSSION OF THE RULES: These orders will apply to all BLM-administered public land within the BLM Burns District, Oregon, and include all Oregon Department of State land within the BLM Burns District’s boundaries. The BLM has determined that these orders are necessary to protect natural resources; to provide for safe public recreation and public health; to reduce the potential for damage to the environment; and to enhance the safety of visitors, neighboring residents, and their property.
Under 43 CFR 9212.1(h), the BLM will enforce the following order on ALL BLM-administered public lands with the BLM Burns District, Oregon.
Ignition, possession, or use of fireworks, exploding targets, and/or metal targets, and firing tracer or incendiary devices are prohibited on public lands.
Under 43 CFR 9212.2, the BLM will enforce the following orders on ALL BLM-administered public lands within the BLM Burns District, Oregon.
Orders to be enforced:
1. You must not build, maintain, or attend a fire, or wood stove or smoker fire, including charcoal briquette fires and portable braziers. This applies across all BLM-administered lands within the Burns District EXCEPT Fish Lake Campground and Jackman Park Campground on Steens Mountain; in these campgrounds fires will be allowed ONLY in established fire rings within the campgrounds.
NOTE: Liquefied and bottled gas stoves, smokers, and heaters are permitted. When used outside of developed recreation sites, they must be within an area at least ten (10) feet in diameter that is barren, or clear, of all flammable materials.
2. You must not smoke outside of a vehicle, trailer, or building, except within areas barren of all flammable materials for at least a six (6) foot diameter, or aboard boats on rivers and lakes.
3. You must not operate a chainsaw between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. local time. Saw operators are required to have a shovel (8” wide, 26” length) and fire extinguisher (minimum ABC 8 oz.) in their possession. A one-hour fire watch is required after saw operations cease.
NOTE: Generators are allowed when located in a location cleared of flammable material in an area at least 10 feet in diameter and with approved spark arrestor.
4. You must not operate or park your motorized vehicle or operate any type of internal combustion engine in an area that is not clear of flammable material.
5. You must not operate a motorized vehicle outside of existing roads or ways. This prohibits cross-country travel until this order isrescinded.
6. You must not operate any motorized vehicle or equipment that is wider than 50 inches or has a dry weight of 800 pounds or more on public land without a shovel not less than 26 inches in overall length, with a blade not less than 8 inches wide, and a container with at least one gallon of water, or a fully charged 2.5-pound fire extinguisher. All motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles(ATV), and side-by-side utility terrain vehicles (UTV) must be equipped with a functional U.S. Forest Service approved spark arrestor.
PENALTIES: On public land, under Section 303(a) of Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1733(a)) and 43 CFR 9212.4, any person who violates any of these supplementary rules within the boundaries established in the rules may be tried before a United States Magistrate and fined no more than $1000 or imprisoned for no more than 12 months, or both. Such violations may also be subject to the enhanced fines provided for by U.S.C. 3571.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 9212.3, the following persons are exempt from this order: 1. Persons with a permit specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or omission.
2. Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.
