Bureau of Land Management implements fire restrictions due to increased fire risk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Starting June 6, there are stage one fire restrictions in Central and Western Arizona, including Yuma County, due to increased fire risk.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) says 530 fires have burned over 47-thousand acres in Arizona in 2024 alone, some happening in Yuma along the Colorado River.

One was the "Refuge Fire" which burned just north of Lake Martinez in the last week of May and was set off by a flare gun.

BLM says more than half of the fires this year were human caused. They share some of the restrictions to help reduce human caused fires as weather gets drier and hotter these upcoming months.

Restrictions include limited smoking, cutting or welding on public lands, recreational target shooting, and building a wood or charcoal based fire outside of a developed area. If you are not in a developed campsite of BLM managed land, you are allowed to use gas stoves that can be turned on and off.

BLM is not restricting vehicles, but they do say to make sure your vehicle is in good working condition to limit vehicle caused fires.

“If you don’t have those chains hooked up properly, they drag and create sparks," said Arizona Bureau of Land Management Dolores Garcia. "Also if your tires aren’t inflated properly, that rim can spark the pavement causing a wildfire.”

BLM says the restrictions will stay in place during the peak extreme parts of fire season, lasting for several months.