MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — The Mendocino National Forest is lifting fire restrictions beginning Wednesday, Oct. 30, at midnight.

Wet weather patterns, longer nights and cooler temperatures are reducing the potential risk for wildfires.

Beginning Wednesday, forest visitors with a valid California campfire permit may have open campfires or camp stoves outside of designated campgrounds.

Although fire danger has decreased some, there is still potential for wildfires to start. Forest officials ask everyone to practice fire safety and act responsibly to prevent wildfires.

• Campfires: Attend your campfire at all times. Ensure your fire is completely extinguished — drown with water (NOT dirt), stir with your shovel, drown again and feel for any heat using the back of your hand. Continue this process until no heat remains.
• Stoves: If using pressurized or bottled liquid fuel stoves, lanterns or heating devices, use in barren areas with at least 3 feet of clearance from grasses and other debris that may catch fire. • Prevent stoves from tipping.
• Vehicles: When traveling, ensure your chains are properly connected. The hot underside of the vehicle and dragging chains can start a fire. Stick to driving on designated roads and trails and be careful to not park your car or OHV in tall, dry vegetation, including grass.
• Spark arrestors: Ensure that all internal or external combustion engines have a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order.
• Smoking: Extinguish all smoking materials dead out on bare soil. Pack out all cigarette butts and filters.
• Fireworks: Fireworks are prohibited on all national forests year-round, leave them and all other pyrotechnic devices at home.

California campfire permits are available online at https://readyforwildfire.org. Visitors can check the latest alerts, orders and recreation information at https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino.

The Mendocino National Forest consists of 927,675 acres along northern California’s coastal range. The forest includes the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, four designated wilderness areas, two designated wild and scenic rivers, Red Bluff Recreation Area, and the Chico Seed Orchard. Headquartered in Willows, the forest maintains district offices in the communities of Covelo and Upper Lake.