HINES – Despite a two-day cooling trend, officials from the Burns Interagency Fire Zone are tightening public-use restrictions in preparation for above-average temperatures at week’s end.

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 1, the regulated fire closure in effect on the east side of Steens Mountain will be extended to include all Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands within the Burns zone.

The regulated fire closure prohibits:

Woodcutting between 1 and 8 p.m.

Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire or stove fire, including charcoal briquette fire, except at Chickahominy, Page Springs, Jackman Park, Fish Lake, and South Steens Campgrounds. Liquified and bottled gas stoves and heaters are permitted.

Outside of developed recreation sites, stoves and heaters must be used within an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or clear of all flammable material.

Smoking outside of a vehicle, trailer or building, except within areas barren of all flammable materials for at least a 3-foot diameter, or on boats on rivers and lakes.

Operating any type of motorized vehicle without a shovel and a container with at least 1-gallon of water, or a fully charged 2.5-pound fire extinguisher.

Operating any type of motorized vehicle off existing roadways or parking vehicles on roadways not clear of all flammable materials. Vehicles must be parked on developed roadways, which are those areas clear of flammable debris, berm to berm.

A map of the closure area is available at the Burns District BLM Office in Hines. Visitors should use extreme caution when visiting public lands this time of year and remember ignition of fireworks on all public land is prohibited.

Fire danger for the area is rated “very high” and area is at Industrial Fire Precaution Level 3.