Nevada · Burn Bans

Before

Nevada sets public-land fire restrictions per land-management unit, and the Sierra Front around Reno and Carson City is now the strictest part of the state. BLM's Carson City District moved to STAGE 2 under Fire Prevention Order BLM-CCD-2026-02, effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, August 31, 2026 and running through October 31, 2026 unless rescinded. Under Stage 2 on BLM Carson City District land it is prohibited to build, maintain, attend or use any fire, campfire or stove fire burning wood, charcoal or any other material outside a developed fee campground or picnic area - only portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed; to smoke except inside an enclosed vehicle or building, at a developed recreation site, or while stopped in a barren or cleared area at least 3 feet across; to operate motorized vehicles off existing roads; and to weld, grind metal or use an acetylene or other open-flame torch without a permit. From 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. it is additionally prohibited to run a chainsaw or other internal-combustion equipment for industrial operations or firewood gathering, and to do RECREATIONAL TARGET SHOOTING (shooting for licensed hunting is exempt). A violation may be charged as a Class A misdemeanor under FLPMA carrying a fine of up to $100,000 and up to 12 months in jail, plus liability for suppression and damage costs. Separately, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Carson Ranger District has an Emergency Recreational Shooting Order (04-17-26-01-05, signed August 14, 2026) barring discharge of a firearm, air rifle or gas gun between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on all National Forest System lands, roads and trails in that district through October 31, 2026, with legal hunting, permit holders and on-duty officers exempt and a violation a Class B misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $5,000 - so the shooting cutoff is not the same on BLM and Forest Service ground in the same corridor. STAGE 1 restrictions remain in effect across essentially all other Nevada public land: the BLM Nevada statewide Fire Prevention Order (effective May 1, 2026), plus Southern Nevada (BLM Southern Nevada District, May 26; Lake Mead NRA and Spring Mountains NRA, May 29; Reclamation land in Clark County, May 29), Northeast Nevada (BLM Elko District, June 12; Humboldt-Toiyabe Mountain City and Jarbidge Ranger Districts), Central Nevada (BLM Battle Mountain and Winnemucca Districts; Santa Rosa Ranger District), and on the Sierra Front the Forest Service and state units that remain at Stage 1 (Humboldt-Toiyabe Carson and Bridgeport Ranger Districts; Nevada Division of Forestry Western Region). GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK is at Stage 2, effective July 3, 2026. Stage 1 bars campfires and charcoal outside agency-approved developed recreation sites. Always prohibited on all BLM and Forest Service land in Nevada: fireworks and any pyrotechnic or incendiary device, explosives including binary exploding targets, ammunition with tracer, incendiary or steel components, and operating any engine without a working spark arrestor. Stages differ between neighboring units and change with conditions - confirm your exact area at NevadaFireInfo.org/restrictions. CURRENCY NOTE: NevadaFireInfo.org now blocks automated reading, so the Carson City Stage 2 detail above was last confirmed on September 20, 2026. When BLM own Nevada fire-restrictions page was read on September 29, 2026 it listed only Carson City District order BLM-CCD-2026-01, effective June 22, 2026 through October 31, 2026, and showed no Stage 2 order, so the Carson City Stage 2 may have been stepped down to Stage 1. Treat the Sierra Front as Stage 2 until the BLM Carson City District tells you otherwise.

Now

Nevada sets public-land fire restrictions per land-management unit — there is no single statewide Stage. STAGE 2 HAS ENDED ON THE SIERRA FRONT: BLM's Carson City District rescinded its Stage 2 Fire Prevention Order (issued August 31, 2026) effective 5:00 p.m. on September 21, 2026, citing reduced fire danger (rescission signed by the District Manager on September 18, 2026). BLM Carson City District land reverts to its STAGE 1 order, BLM-CCD-2026-01, effective 12:01 a.m. June 22, 2026 and expiring October 31, 2026 unless rescinded: no fire, campfire or stove fire using wood, charcoal or any other material outside a developed fee campground or picnic area (portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed); no smoking except inside an enclosed vehicle or building, at a developed recreation site, or while stopped in a barren or cleared area at least 3 feet across; no operating or parking a vehicle or motorized equipment on dried or cured vegetation; and no welding, metal grinding or open-flame torch without a permit. A violation may be charged as a Class A misdemeanor under FLPMA carrying a fine of up to $100,000 and up to 12 months in jail, plus liability for suppression and damage costs. SHOOTING STILL DIFFERS BY AGENCY: the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Carson Ranger District's Emergency Recreational Shooting Order (04-17-26-01-05, signed August 14, 2026) bars discharge of a firearm, air rifle or gas gun between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on all National Forest System lands, roads and trails in that district through October 31, 2026, with legal hunting, permit holders and on-duty officers exempt and a violation a Class B misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $5,000. GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK remains at STAGE 2 (effective July 3, 2026). STAGE 1 restrictions remain in effect across essentially all other Nevada public land: the BLM Nevada statewide Fire Prevention Order (effective May 1, 2026), plus Southern Nevada (BLM Southern Nevada District, May 26; Lake Mead NRA and Spring Mountains NRA, May 29; Reclamation land in Clark County, May 29), Northeast Nevada (BLM Elko District, June 12; Humboldt-Toiyabe Mountain City and Jarbidge Ranger Districts), Central Nevada (BLM Battle Mountain and Winnemucca Districts; Santa Rosa Ranger District), and on the Sierra Front the Humboldt-Toiyabe Carson and Bridgeport Ranger Districts and the Nevada Division of Forestry Western Region. Stage 1 bars campfires and charcoal outside agency-approved developed recreation sites. Always prohibited on all BLM and Forest Service land in Nevada: fireworks and any pyrotechnic or incendiary device, explosives including binary exploding targets, ammunition with tracer, incendiary or steel components, and operating any engine without a working spark arrestor. The interagency list at NevadaFireInfo.org/restrictions was read on September 29, 2026. Restrictions are set unit by unit and change with conditions — confirm your exact area before you burn.