Stage 2 fire restrictions expand to Yuma County amid wildfire risk

Campfires, charcoal stoves and target shooting were shut down on Arizona State Trust Lands in Yuma County as Stage 2 fire restrictions took effect at 8 a.m. on May 21. The tighter rules also covered BLM-managed lands in Yuma County as state and federal land managers moved to curb human-caused wildfires across central and western Arizona.

Under the Stage 2 order on state lands, visitors can no longer build, maintain, attend or use a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal or wood stove, including in developed campgrounds or improved sites. Only liquid petroleum or LPG-fueled devices that can be turned on and off remain allowed. The restrictions also ban target shooting on Arizona State Trust Lands. On federally managed lands in Arizona, fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited year-round.

The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and the Bureau of Land Management’s Colorado River District and Phoenix District said the escalation came after fire managers reported increased wildfire activity and expected conditions to worsen as the region gets hotter and drier. In Yuma County, the move puts campers, recreation users and outdoor workers under a narrower set of rules just as late-spring fire danger rises on public lands used for travel, shooting, camping and field work.

As of May 20, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management listed Stage 2 restrictions on State Trust Lands in La Paz and Yuma counties, while Stage 1 restrictions remained in effect on State Trust Lands in Apache, Coconino, Gila, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal and Yuma counties. The overlap underscores how quickly conditions can shift from caution to stricter limits when dry fuel, wind and heat line up in the spring fire season.

The current order follows a similar seasonal restriction announcement in 2025, when Yuma County was included in late-May fire limits that took effect May 23 at 8 a.m. Officials said residents and visitors should check WildlandFire.az.gov for current restriction information, a reminder that the next decision will depend on whether heat and dryness continue to climb or recent moisture gives fire managers room to ease restrictions.