BAKER CITY — Warning that tinder-dry fuels in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest would help any human-caused fires rapidly spread, officials have tightened the forest’s public use restrictions to Phase C, effective at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, July 23.

In addition, forest officials are shutting down industrial operations in the forest, also beginning at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

Under the Phase 3 public use restrictions:

• Campfires are prohibited. Only liquid and bottle gas stoves are allowed.

• Except for motor vehicles, operating an internal combustion engine is prohibited.

• Smoking is allowed only in enclosed vehicles and buildings, developed recreation sites, or cleared areas.

• Off-road or off-trail vehicle travel is prohibited. Travel is not allowed on roads not cleared of standing grass or other flammable material. Vehicle traffic on those Forest Service roads where access has been impeded or blocked by earthen berm, logs, boulders, barrier, barricade or gate is prohibited.

Separate rules apply within a ¼-mile of the Wild and Scenic portions of the Snake River and Grande Ronde River. Public lands in Idaho administered by the Wallowa-Whitman follow separate Idaho fire restrictions.

Meanwhile, forest officials are shutting down industrial operations on the forest. The forest is upgrading its Industrial Fire Protection to Level IV, which prohibits all industrial operations.

In making the announcement, forest officials noted how the continuing heat, wind and dangerously dry weather across Eastern Oregon have created conditions that would cause a fire to quickly spread.

For more information about the fire restrictions, go to the Wallowa-Whitman’s website at fs.usda.gov/main/wallowa-whitman/fire or the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center at bmidc.org/restrictions.shtml

If you see a wildfire, call 911.