Effective July 1, the Bureau of Land Management is implementing fire restrictions on all BLM-managed public lands within the Folsom Field Office boundary. This includes BLM-managed public lands in Nevada, Yuba, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Sacramento, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Sutter and Mariposa counties, a total of about 230,000 acres. The fire restrictions will remain in effect until further notice.

These restrictions prohibit all open fires on public lands because of extremely dry conditions, according to Brian Mulhollen, fuels management specialist. "We seeing fire fuels conditions in June that we usually don't see until August," he said. "We would like to emphasize, with the July 4 holiday approaching, that all fireworks are prohibited."

Campers are urged to be familiar with special limitations prior to visiting any public lands in these counties. A valid California campfire permit is required for all fires. Campfire permits are available free of charge at any BLM, Forest Service, or California Department of Forestry Office, but campers need to be aware of restrictions in the area they are visiting.

Restrictions include no open fires, campfires or open fire stoves, except lanterns and portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel; no welding or use of any torch with an open flame, except by special permit; no use of explosives, except by special permit; no operating internal combustion engines, except on maintained roads; no firing tracers or incendiary devices capable of starting a fire; and no fireworks.

Violations are punishable by fines up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year in jail.