Fire restrictions set on Canfield Mountain through October 20

Campfires, stove fires and any other open flame will be off-limits on Canfield Mountain beginning May 10, and the ban will stay in place through Oct. 20. Hikers, bikers and campers can still use the mountain, but they cannot build, maintain, attend or use a fire, campfire or stove fire anywhere covered by the order.

The Idaho Panhandle National Forests set the restriction because Canfield Mountain sits in a high-risk corner of Kootenai County. The area adjoins residential neighborhoods on three sides, carries power lines and telecommunications infrastructure, and has a long history of human-caused fires, including concerns from residents about abandoned campfires. A single escaped fire there could threaten homes, damage critical communications equipment and strain access for firefighters in a heavily used recreation area close to Coeur d’Alene.

The order takes effect annually at 12:01 a.m. May 10 and runs until 12:01 a.m. Oct. 20 unless it is rescinded sooner. It covers National Forest System lands, roads and trails in the area west of Fernan Road, west of Forest Service Road 1535 and south of Yellow Banks Creek, and south of Hayden Lake. The restriction does not include FSR 268 or FSR 1535, a detail that could create confusion for visitors moving between trailheads and adjoining roads.

Violations are a Class B misdemeanor. Penalties can reach $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, along with up to six months in jail, or both. That makes the rule more than a seasonal reminder for anyone planning cookouts, overnight trips or informal gatherings in the woods.

The Forest Service said the dates were chosen to line up with Idaho Department of Lands’ Closed Fire Season and to end before fall rifle hunting season. Holly Hampton, the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District ranger, said support from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, Idaho Department of Lands, Cancourse LLC and Canfield area residents was critical.

Canfield’s trail system has long drawn a mix of users. It was designed for motorized trail bikes and bicycles, Trail 1562 allows 4-wheel ATVs, and Forest Service trail information says motorized trail bikes have used the mountain since the late 1950s. Access comes from both the Shooting Range Parking Area on the east side and the Nettleton Gulch Parking Area on the west side.

The restriction also fits into broader prevention work. The city of Coeur d’Alene and partners planned fuel-reduction burning in the Canfield and Cancourse area in November 2024, including the 138-acre Cancourse strip that runs from Coeur d’Alene and Dalton Gardens to the Coeur d’Alene National Forest. On Canfield Mountain, that kind of work and these fire rules point to the same goal: keep one careless spark from becoming a wildfire that could close trails, threaten neighborhoods and slow emergency response across the mountain.