BLM Fire Restrictions & Shovel/Bucket Readiness

Know the fire rules before you light, and carry the tools to put a fire out.

Intermediate

4 min

BLM FIRE RESTRICTIONS & SHOVEL/BUCKET READINESS
[ ] Round-Point Shovel
[ ] 5-Gal Water Pail
[ ] Fire Ring Thermometer

Round-Point Shovel: a long handle keeps you away from heat. Check that it fits in your vehicle.
5-Gal Water Pail: fill it before you light, and refill it as you use it.
Fire Ring Thermometer: a quick safety check, not a substitute for feeling the ashes and drowning the fire.

Check restrictions the day you light. Restrictions can change fast with weather and fire danger, and they differ for campfires, stoves and charcoal. Check with the local BLM or Forest Service office, or the agency's website. Why it matters: lighting a fire during a ban can mean a fine, and it can start a wildfire.
Keep tools within arm's reach. The shovel and water pail should be next to the fire before you light it, not after something goes wrong.
Make it dead out. Drown, stir, feel. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave. See smokeybear.com and nps.gov for current guidance.

Gear types only.

Round-point shovel
Collapsible water bucket or pail
Infrared or contact thermometer
Heat-resistant gloves
Stove with a shutoff valve
Insulated drinkware, so your hot drink does not come near the fire

Fire restrictions are set by the land manager and change often. Check current local rules with the agency for your area: blm.gov, fs.usda.gov or your state fire agency. Many agencies post current restriction maps and lists on their websites.

The best fire is the one that stays where you put it. Check the rules, bring the tools and be the camper everyone wants next door. A Wild Dirt hat is a good thing to wear while you tend the ring.

Before you go

Current fire restrictions checked for the exact area, on the day you leave
Written note of the rules for stoves, campfires and charcoal in that area
Contact number for the local field office or ranger district saved
Plan for a no-fire camp if restrictions are in place

Tools

Round-Point Shovel, long enough to dig and stir
5-Gal Water Pail, filled and kept near the fire
Fire Ring Thermometer, to check that the ring is cool before you leave
Work gloves
Extra water, separate from your drinking water

At camp

Use an existing fire ring where the rules allow, or follow local rules for a new one
Clear a bare area around the fire, free of dry grass, brush and overhanging branches
Keep the fire small and keep it attended
Vehicle parked away from dry grass, since hot exhaust parts can start fires

Putting it out

Drown the fire with water, stir the ashes and drown again
Back of your hand held over the ashes, feeling for heat
Thermometer check on the ring and ashes
Ash pit left clean, with no trash or foil in it

Before you go

Current fire restrictions checked for the exact area, on the day you leave
Written note of the rules for stoves, campfires and charcoal in that area
Contact number for the local field office or ranger district saved
Plan for a no-fire camp if restrictions are in place

Tools

Round-Point Shovel, long enough to dig and stir
5-Gal Water Pail, filled and kept near the fire
Fire Ring Thermometer, to check that the ring is cool before you leave
Work gloves
Extra water, separate from your drinking water

At camp

Use an existing fire ring where the rules allow, or follow local rules for a new one
Clear a bare area around the fire, free of dry grass, brush and overhanging branches
Keep the fire small and keep it attended
Vehicle parked away from dry grass, since hot exhaust parts can start fires

Putting it out

Drown the fire with water, stir the ashes and drown again
Back of your hand held over the ashes, feeling for heat
Thermometer check on the ring and ashes
Ash pit left clean, with no trash or foil in it