Fire restrictions to be lifted on San Juan National Forest effective Sept. 5

Fire restrictions on all National Forest System lands within the San Juan National Forest, including wilderness, will be rescinded effective 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 5.

Recent rains over the forest have lessened the risk of wildland fire, allowing restrictions to be lifted. This means campfires are now allowed on the San Juan National Forest.

Rescinding fire restrictions does not mean that fire danger has been eliminated. Rain is effective at improving the moisture content of light vegetation like grasses, but trees and brush require more consistent precipitation to recover from drought conditions. Precipitation has not reached all parts of the San Juan National Forest evenly, meaning fuels in some areas are still dry. More rain is expected this weekend, but visitors should still be careful with fire. 

Visitors are encouraged to practice these principles of outdoor fire safety:

• Clear all flammable material within 3 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 information on the San Juan National Forest, call (970) 247-4874 or visit the forest website.