LOVELL — Due to high temperatures and very high to extreme fire danger across Montana and Wyoming, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is instituting Stage 2 Fire restrictions on the Montana side of the park beginning August 4, 2017.

Stage 2 Fire Restrictions prohibit the following within the park boundary until further notice:

—Building, maintaining, or use of all open fires and charcoal barbeque grills.

—Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

—Use of welding equipment, acetylene or other torches, or other devices with open flame is prohibited.

—Using any two track roads not developed or maintained.

The ban is in effect until further notice and the National Park Service will be posting signs on its land to inform users of the emergency ban.

The National Park Service thanks the public for their cooperation with the fire ban. For more information on fire restrictions please contact Park Headquarters in Fort Smith, Montana at 406-666-2212.

With fire conditions as they are, campers and others using public lands are urged to check with other state and federal land management agencies such as the state fire agencies, Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service regarding other possible fire restrictions on those lands.

BLM RESTRICTIONS

The BLM put in Stage 1 fire restrictions July 13 for areas within the Lander, Cody and Worland field offices.

Restrictions include:

—Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire except within agency-provided fire grates at developed recreation sites, or within fully enclosed stoves with a ¼” spark arrester type screen, or within fully enclosed grills, or in stoves using pressurized liquid or gas.

—Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

—Operating a chainsaw without a U.S. Department of Agriculture or Society of Automotive Engineers approved spark arrester properly installed and working, a chemical fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity by weight, and one round point shovel with an overall length of at least 36 inches.

—Using a welder, either arc or gas, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame, except in cleared areas of at least 10 feet in diameter with a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity.

These fire restrictions are in addition to the year-round wildfire prevention restrictions on BLM-administered lands throughout Wyoming, which include:

—Discharging or using any fireworks.

—Discharging of a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition.

—Burning, igniting or causing to burn any tire, wire, magnesium, or any other hazardous or explosive material.

—Operating any off-road vehicle on public lands unless the vehicle is equipped with a properly installed spark arrester pursuant to 43 CFR 8343.1 (c).