The Eldorado National Forest is preparing for one of the biggest recreation weekends of the year. The dry forest conditions has officials concerned with the upcoming Fourth of July weekend and the influx of visitors.

"With the very high fire danger it is important that we all take responsibility to keep wildfire out of the forest", said Fire Prevention Officer Barbara Rebiskie. "Two things visitors need to know is that all types of fireworks are illegal in a National Forest, and that fire restrictions are in effect for the Eldorado, which means that campfires and charcoal barbeques are prohibited outside of designated developed campgrounds and facilities."

Only facilities that have a campground host and a water system are exempted from the fire restrictions. Visitors can help by educating others about the fire restrictions and fire danger, Rebiskie added. Abandoned or illegal fires can be reported to 911 or to the nearest ranger station. The Eldorado will be staffing extra patrols and patrolling after dark this weekend. Citations will be issued to violators that have illegal campfires or barbeques. Propane or gas fires are allowed with a 2008 California campfire permit. These permits are free and can be obtained at any U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Bureau of Land Management office.

This summer, the Forest Service will continue to allow motor vehicle use on routes displayed on the same free Motor Vehicle Use Restriction map that's been available at all Eldorado National Forest offices since August 2005. Visitors planning to camp outside of developed campgrounds must park their vehicle on a system route or within a reasonable distance of the route so as not to block the roadway, create a safety hazard, or cause resource damage.

In a release Wednesday, the Amador-El Dorado unit of Cal Fire was reminding the public that discharging legal fireworks anywhere other than Jackson, Sutter Creek and Ione was illegal. Given the driest spring on record and the draw-down of firefighting resources due to the numerous fires burning in Northern California, Cal Fire's release stressed that the chances of a damaging wildland fire from legal or illegal fireworks is extreme.

Visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado for more information.