Fire Restrictions Begin At Los Padres National Forest

MONTEREY COUNTY - Due to extremely dry vegetation and an increasing fire danger, Los Padres National Forest officials will begin placing restrictions on fires for visitors, according to forest officials.

Starting Tuesday, Level 3 fire restrictions will go into effect, limiting certain activities in the forest, which covers parts of Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Kern counties, forest officials said.

As part of the restrictions, wood and charcoal fires are prohibited in all areas of the forest, except for designated campfire sites.

People with a California Campfire Permit, however, are allowed to use portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel outside of designated campfire use sites, according to forest officials.

Visitors must keep all flammable material at least 10 feet in all directions from their camp stove, have a shovel handy and designate a person to tend to the stove at all times when it's in use.

Smoking will also be prohibited in all areas of the forest, except within an enclosed vehicle, building or designated campfire use site, forest officials said

Additionally, recreational target shooting will be prohibited in all areas of the forest, unless specifically authorized by a special use permit.

Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark-arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order on roads and trails specifically designated for such use is prohibited year-round.

Hunting during open hunting season, however, will be permitted, so long as hunters have a valid State of California hunting license.

For a list of designated campfire sites or for information on obtaining a California Campfire Permit, visitors can go to www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.

-Bay City News, image via ceajaegirl/Flickr