What is prohibited under Stage 1 fire restrictions?

Stage 1 prohibits: open fires (except in permanent metal or concrete fire pits at developed Forest Service campgrounds), explosives including fireworks and tracer ammunition, smoking outside of vehicles or developed sites or barren three-foot-cleared areas, and welding or open-flame torch work without a 10-foot clearance and Class 2A fire extinguisher.

What is prohibited under Stage 2 fire restrictions?

Stage 2 is a near-total fire ban. All open fires including in developed campground fire grates, charcoal grills and wood-burning stoves outdoors, smoking outside enclosed vehicles or buildings, chainsaw operation without a spark arrestor and Class A fire extinguisher and 35-inch round-point shovel, internal combustion engines without working spark arrestors, and outdoor welding.

Are propane fire pits allowed under Stage 1 and Stage 2 fire restrictions?

Yes. Liquid- and gas-fueled stoves, grills, and fire pits that can be turned on and off remain permitted under both Stage 1 and Stage 2, as long as they are used in an area cleared of flammable material within three feet.

What are the penalties for violating fire restrictions?

Up to $5,000 fine for individuals, $10,000 for organizations, and up to six months imprisonment. If your fire causes damage, you may also be held financially responsible.

How do I check current fire restrictions for my destination?

Fire stages are set locally. Check the USFS Know Before You Go page for the destination forest, the National Interagency Fire Center for current large fires and weather, the county sheriff office, and ranger district phone numbers posted at most trailheads.

Fire Restrictions & Stage Levels

COMPASS · KNOW YOUR LAND

FIRE RESTRICTIONS & STAGE LEVELS

If you camp in the West, fire restrictions will shape your trip. Knowing the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 is the difference between cooking dinner over a fire and a $5,000 fine. Here is the plain-English version.

U.S. FOREST SERVICE GUIDANCE

Before going hiking or camping, check with the forest, grassland or ranger district for fire restrictions or area closures.

Use alternatives to campfires during periods of high fire danger, even if there are no restrictions. Nine out of 10 fires are caused by humans.

If you do use a campfire, make sure it is fully extinguished before leaving the area — be sure it is cold to the touch.

Be careful of parking or driving your car or ATV in tall, dry vegetation, such as grass. The hot underside of the vehicle can start a fire.

Source: U.S. Forest Service — Fire Safety · public domain

STAGE 1: SERIOUS

Stage 1 is implemented when fire danger crosses defined thresholds (vegetation moisture, weather outlook, firefighter availability). Stage 1 restrictions are about the highest-risk human behaviors: open fires and smoking.

What is prohibited under Stage 1

Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire (including charcoal or briquettes), except in a permanent metal or concrete fire pit at a developed Forest Service campground or picnic area
Using an explosive (including fireworks, exploding targets, tracer ammunition)
Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials
Welding or operating an open-flame torch, except in a cleared area of at least 10 feet with a Class 2A fire extinguisher

What is still allowed under Stage 1

Liquid- or gas-fueled stoves and grills (propane, white gas, LPG) — including propane fire pits and gas camp stoves — used in an area cleared of flammable material within three feet
Fully enclosed metal stoves with a chimney and spark arrestor
Smoking inside a vehicle or building
Fires in pre-designated Forest Service fire grates in developed campgrounds

STAGE 2: CRITICAL

Stage 2 is a near-total fire ban. Everything prohibited under Stage 1 is still prohibited, plus more.

What is prohibited under Stage 2

All open fires, including those in developed campground fire grates — complete campfire ban
Charcoal grills and wood-burning stoves anywhere outdoors
Smoking outside of enclosed vehicles, trailers, or buildings (no exception for developed recreation sites)
Chainsaw operation without an approved spark arrestor, plus a pressurized fire extinguisher and a 35-inch round-point shovel
Internal combustion engines without a working spark arrestor
Welding or open-flame torch operation outdoors

What is still allowed under Stage 2

Liquid- or gas-fueled devices that can be turned on and off (propane stoves, propane fire pits, gas grills) — with the same three-foot clearance rule
Smoking inside an enclosed vehicle or building

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR OVERLAND TRIP

Three takeaways from the regulatory text that matter on the ground:

A propane setup is your insurance policy. Under both Stage 1 and Stage 2, devices fueled by pressurized propane or LPG remain permitted with proper clearance. A propane camp stove or propane fire pit is the difference between cooking dinner and going hungry.
Stage 2 is binary — no wood, no charcoal, anywhere. A rock ring at a dispersed campsite is not a "designated fire ring." If you arrive and Stage 2 is in effect, your wood-fire plans are off entirely.
Smoking has rules even in Stage 1. Pulling over on a forest road lined with dry grass to step outside for a cigarette can earn you a violation. Stay inside the vehicle or find a barren three-foot circle.

Penalties for violating fire restrictions: up to $5,000 fine for individuals, $10,000 for organizations, up to six months imprisonment. If your fire causes damage, you may also be held financially responsible.

HOW TO CHECK CURRENT RESTRICTIONS

Fire stages are set by the local agency that manages the land you are visiting. There is no national database that always works — check the specific forest, BLM district, or county.

USFS — Know Before You Go for the destination forest
National Interagency Fire Center for current large fires and weather
The county sheriff's office for the destination county (private and county land can have different rules)
Ranger district phone numbers, posted at most trailheads — call them

During Red Flag Warnings issued by the National Weather Service, many jurisdictions automatically escalate to Stage 1 restrictions until the warning ends.

GEAR THAT MATTERS HERE

Categories from the 4xSolar catalog that keep you legal and functional under fire restrictions:

Propane fire pits (FireCan series) and propane stoves — the only outdoor "campfire" experience available under Stage 2
Refillable propane vessels (Gas Growler, TapRack) — ship empty, fill at any propane retailer, keep your stove running for days
GMRS radios — for coordinating with your group when fire restrictions or closures change a planned route
Solar power and portable batteries — for the multi-day trips where wood fires were your charging plan and now are not
Lighting — solar-rechargeable lanterns and headlamps so you are not tempted to build a fire just to see what you are doing

No hard sell. If you need any of the above, browse Camp Comfort or the full 4xSolar catalog. If you don't, the restrictions still apply.

Content sourced from the U.S. Forest Service and state/county fire management agencies · used with attribution under public domain. 4xSolar LLC is a Tread Lightly! Small Business member committed to public-land stewardship. Read more about our stewardship commitment.