The Bureau of Land Management announced Tuesday a final rule that will allow agency officials to quickly close or restrict public access to bureau-managed lands in response to emergencies such as wildfires and flash floods or, in some cases, large special events.
BLM officials said the new rule is important as visitation to bureau sites has hit records highs the past few years and the threat of wildfires is increasing across the West, where the vast majority of the 245 million acres it manages are located.
“Every year, more and more visitors are using America’s public lands, and our mission to ensure public health and safety and protect the resources these lands offer continues,” said Jason O’Neal, director of BLM’s Office of Law Enforcement and Security, in a statement. “Modernized regulations improve our ability to effectively carry out this mission in coordination with our state and local partners, especially when emergencies or other unforeseen circumstances arise.”
In addition to emergencies, some temporary closures are for special events, such as the annual Burning Man festival in Nevada. The rule also applies to orders issued “to ensure privacy for Tribal activities associated with traditional or cultural use,” BLM said in press materials.
