This week’s rainfall really did outdoor enthusiasts a solid by reducing wildfire risk. The Bureau of Land Management will lift all seasonal fire restrictions tomorrow for public lands in large swaths of Arizona, including rural Pinal County near Maricopa. 

The change applies to lands managed by the BLM’s Colorado River and Phoenix districts, which includes northern Pinal County. Near Maricopa, this includes the Box Canyon Recreational Shooting Site pistol range and open swaths of desert along State Route 238.

Officials say that increased precipitation, forecasts calling for more rain and higher fuel moisture levels reduced the likelihood of wildfire enough to rescind the restrictions.

Even though the restrictions are loosened, there are still rules: Campfires should be kept within metal rings or grills when available, and fires must be fully extinguished before leaving. Portable stoves should be used in cleared areas; vehicles should not be parked over dry grass. Fireworks are still banned on BLM lands across Arizona.

If you are traveling, fire restrictions can still vary by county depending on local conditions. Fire condition updates and prevention tips can be found here.

BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land in 12 western states and oversees 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate nationwide.