Prescott National Forest Lifts Stage 1 Fire Restrictions and Emergency Recreational Shooting Restric

PRESCOTT, AZ, Sept. 05, 2025 - The Prescott National Forest has lifted Stage 1 Fire Restrictions and the Emergency Recreational Shooting order effective Sept. 5, 2025, at 8 a.m. This decision follows careful monitoring of fuel moisture, weather patterns, and fire activity.

Fire restrictions are implemented to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires during periods of extreme fire danger and elevated fire weather conditions.

Forest visitors are reminded that the fire season is not over, and fire prevention remains a shared responsibility. Forest staff and fire managers ask the public to always practice fire safety, including:

• Keep campfires small.
• Always keep water and a shovel nearby and know how to use them to fully extinguish fires. 
• Never leave a campfire unattended.
• Keep an eye on the weather.
• Make sure your campfire is dead out.

The public is asked to be mindful of anything that can spark a fire.  Sudden gusts of wind can blow sparks into vegetation outside of cleared areas causing unexpected and uncontrolled fires. 

Vehicle fires and dragging trailer chains cause many fires. The Arizona climate is tough on tires and wheel bearings; tire blowouts or worn bearings can be very dangerous and can also cause wildfires. Adjust trailer chains to prevent them from dragging and sparking a fire.

Additionally, recreational target shooting has the potential to cause wildfires when users set up targets in areas with dry grass and other highly flammable fuels. Shooting without a backstop or berm is dangerous.

If an abandoned campfire causes a wildfire, violators can also be held responsible for fire suppression costs. Violators of regulations that prohibit abandoning a campfire are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.

Before leaving the forest, campfires and charcoal embers from BBQ grills must be completely extinguished. Abandoned campfires are a major cause of wildfires. Always keep enough water on hand and a tool to drown fires. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave. More campfire safety and prevention tips can be found at smokeybear.com.

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology – and rooted in communities – the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live. 

The public can obtain fire information via the following:

• Prescott National Forest Web Site: www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott
• Follow us on Facebook or Twitter
• Prescott NF Fire Information 928-925-1111
• Local Ranger Stations: Bradshaw Ranger District 928-443-8000; Forest Supervisors Office 928-777-2200; Verde Ranger District 928-567-4121

###

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.