Due to extremely dry vegetation and an increasing fire danger, additional fire restrictions will go into effect in Los Padres National Forest beginning Thursday, July 15, forest officials have announced. The following restrictions will be rigorously enforced until the end of the declared fire season:

» Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited in all areas of Los Padres National Forest, including designated Campfire Use sites; however persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are allowed to use portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel within the designated Campfire Use Sites only.

» Forest visitors must clear all flammable material for a distance of five feet in all directions from their camp stove, have a shovel available, and ensure that a responsible person attends the stove at all times when it is in use. California Campfire Permits are available for free download from Los Padres National Forest website, as well as at all Forest Service offices.

» Recreational target shooting is prohibited in all areas of the National Forest except in the two shooting ranges under special use permit, i.e., Winchester Canyon Gun Club and Ojai Valley Gun Club. However, hunting with a valid State of California hunting license during open hunting season is exempt from this restriction.

» Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the national forest except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or designated Campfire Use Site. 

» Fireworks are prohibited at all times and in all locations within Los Padres National Forest.

» Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark-arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order on roads and trails specifically designated for such use. This restriction is in effect year-round.

The order is effective through Dec. 31 and violators are subject to a $5,000 fine and/or six months in jail, and could be liable for the full cost of any fire suppression activities that result from their actions. For more information about current conditions, as well as safety tips, contact your nearest Forest Service office or visit the Los Padres National Forest website http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.