Stage I Fire Restrictions Ordered for Fergus and Petroleum Counties

Due to hot and dry weather conditions, Stage 1 fire restrictions will go into effect within Fergus

and Petroleum Counties beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026.

These restrictions apply to all state, private, and Bureau of Land Management lands in Fergus

and Petroleum Counties except for the Upper River Missouri River Breaks National Monument. The

Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge will not be under fire restrictions.

These restrictions will remain in effect until rescinded.

Under Stage 1, the following acts are prohibited:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire, except within an established,

metal fire ring in a developed recreation site.

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while

stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable

materials.

Exemptions to the above Stage 1 prohibitions are allowed for persons using a device solely

fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG; for a federal, state, or local officer, or member of an organized law

enforcement, rescue, or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty; or persons with a permit

or written authorization allowing the otherwise prohibited act or omission.

The Lewistown Area Restrictions Group would like to remind the public that even the smallest

spark has the potential to cause significant damage, so please do your part to prevent wildfires: by

making sure your farm equipment is in good working order, never leave a campfire unattended and

make sure your campfire is dead out before leaving your campsite. Take precautions while recreating

on public lands by always carrying a shovel, bucket, and fire extinguisher.

The Lewistown Area Restrictions Group includes representatives from state, county, local, tribal,

and federal firefighting entities and coordinates fire restrictions on federal, state and private lands in theLewistown Fire Restrictions Area.

For more information, please contact the Bureau of Land Management at 406-538-1942; U.S.

Army Corp of Engineers at 406-526-3411; Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

at 406-538-7789; your local office of Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks or your local fire

department or sheriff’s office.

For up-to-date fire restrictions information, please visit https://www.mtfireinfo.org.