Yosemite Reverts To Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

Yosemite Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

Yosemite, CA – Even though Yosemite National Park is experiencing high fire danger, along with continued hot and dry weather patterns, fire restrictions are being eased.

In June, the park implemented Stage 2 fire restrictions due to high fire danger banning campfires at all elevations except in developed areas of the park. While that still exists, park officials say what has changed is a reduction of overall fire danger and fewer active fires in the region. Those conditions have allowed the park to switch back to Stage 1 fire restrictions until further notice.

Forest officials provide this list of those restrictions:

• No building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire (including campfire, cooking fire, and charcoal fires) within Yosemite National Park below 6,000 feet in elevation except as noted below. Portable stoves using pressurized gas, liquid fuel, or propane are permitted, as are alcohol stoves, including tablet/cube stoves. Twig stoves are not permitted.
• No smoking below 6,000 feet except within an enclosed vehicle, a campground, or picnic area where wood and charcoal fires are allowed or in a designated smoking area. All public buildings, public areas of Concession buildings (including restrooms), other areas as posted and within 25 feet of any non-single-family residential building remain closed to smoking at all times.
• Campfires and cooking fires may still be used in designated campgrounds and picnic areas in developed portions of the park in accordance with park regulations.
• ·Designated Campgrounds and Picnic Areas: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Yellow Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Bridalveil Creek, Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat, Tuolumne Meadows, Lembert Dome, Tenaya Lake, Yosemite Creek, Wawona, Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, Cascade, El Capitan, Cathedral Beach, Sentinel Beach, Swinging Bridge, Housekeeping Camp, Church Bowl, and Lower Yosemite Falls.
• Campfires and cooking fires may still be used in residential areas in developed portions of the park in accordance with park regulation.
•  Residential Areas include: Wawona, El Portal, Yosemite Valley, Hodgdon Meadow, Foresta, Aspen Valley, and Tuolumne Meadows

Park officials say closures will be posted and those areas will be monitored to ensure compliance. They add that this order rescinds all prior issued fire restrictions.