TL;DR: Klamath National Forest limits campfires to listed developed sites through October 30, 2026, caps camping at 14 days in one spot and 30 days per year, and closed about 3.5 miles of Beaver Creek roads on September 16, 2026 for helicopter work.

Current Alert Board Status

The alert index posted by the Klamath National Forest & Butte Valley National Grassland | Alerts | Forest Service shows fire restrictions in effect on Klamath National Forest with a link labeled View Fire Restriction. The same index defines four alert levels for visitors. Critical means critical danger may be present. Fire Restriction means the agency initiates restrictions or temporary public land closures to reduce wildfire risk and protect the public. Caution means a notification or warning that may impede normal planned recreational activities. Information means situations that could affect visitor plans or be of importance or concern to the general public.

The newest operational closure on the index is the temporary closure of approximately 3.5 miles of National Forest System Roads 47N01. According to the Klamath National Forest & Butte Valley National Grassland | Alerts | Forest Service, the closure covers segments of 47N01, 47N44, and 47N52 on September 16, 2026 in the vicinity of helicopter operations on the west fork and main channel of Beaver Creek. The order number listed is #05-05-00-26-08.

Other active entries on the same alert index include the Ishi Pishi River Area Use Restriction starting September 6, 2026 under Forest Order #05-05-58-26-04, and Camping Stay Limitations in the Klamath National Forest starting August 20, 2026 under Forest Order #05-05-00-26-09. The index also lists a temporary contact number change starting June 15, 2026, Grayback Road repairs starting June 6, 2026, wilderness restrictions for Siskiyou, Marble Mountain, and Russian Wilderness starting April 6, 2026 under Order #05-05-00-26-01, Trinity Alps restrictions starting September 18, 2025 under Order #25-05-06, road and driving conditions starting March 19, 2025, and the Siskiyou Crest Seasonal Safety Closure starting January 3, 2025 under Order No. 24-05-10.

Fire Restrictions Through October 30, 2026

Fire restrictions in effect on Klamath National Forest reports that a record-low winter snowpack coupled with hot and dry conditions prompted the Klamath National Forest to go into fire restrictions, effective June 18, 2026. The same report states the restrictions are designed to help minimize the chances of human-caused wildfires. It identifies escaped campfires, equipment use, parking or driving on dry grass, or careless smoking as preventable starting points for human-caused fires.

The written order behind the notice is Forest Order No. 05-05-00-26-05. The order is effective from June 18, 2026, through October 30, 2026 within the Klamath National Forest. It was executed in Yreka, California on June 18, 2026 by Forest Supervisor Chris Christofferson.

Under the order, building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire is prohibited except in the Designated Recreation Sites listed in Exhibit A. Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or a building, within the Developed Recreation Sites listed in Exhibit A, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. Welding, operating an acetylene torch, or other torch with an open flame is prohibited. Operating an internal combustion engine is prohibited except on National Forest System roads or trails, within the Designated Recreation Sites listed in Exhibit A, or any other developed campground or recreation site.

According to Fire restrictions in effect on Klamath National Forest, campfires, stove fires, and barbecue grills using charcoal briquettes are only allowed in certain open developed recreation sites, such as campgrounds, with no permit required. Campfires are not permitted in wilderness areas. Smoking is limited to inside enclosed vehicles or buildings, within developed recreation sites, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. Operating an internal combustion engine, except on National Forest System roads or trails, or within developed recreation sites is prohibited.

The order provides limited allowances for permit holders and equipment operators. Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 specifically exempting them are exempt. Federal, State or local officers and members of an organized rescue or firefighting force in performance of an official duty are exempt. Persons with a valid 2026 Forest Products Removal Permit for fuelwood are not exempt, but may use a chainsaw to cut fuelwood in compliance with permit terms. A generator with an internal combustion engine may be operated if the operator remains in attendance at all times, the generator sits in an area at least five feet in diameter barren or cleared of flammable material, and the generator carries a properly installed, maintained, and working spark arresting device meeting Forest Service Standard 5100-1. Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit may use a portable lantern or stove fueled with gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel with a shut-off valve in an area at least five feet from flammable material. According to Fire restrictions in effect on Klamath National Forest, permits may be obtained at any forest office or online at https://permit.preventwildfiresca.org. Fireworks and explosives, including explosive targets, are always prohibited on national forest lands under permanent fire safety regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Beaver Creek Helicopter Closure

The detail page titled Temporarily closure of approximately 3.5 miles of National Forest System Roads 47N01 states the Forest Order temporarily closes approximately 3.5 miles of National Forest System Roads 47N01, 47N44, and 47N52 on September 16, 2026. The closure encompasses road segments near helicopter operations on the west fork and main channel of Beaver Creek and the associated helipad. The Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District is the administrative area named in Forest Order No. 05-05-00-26-08.

The same detail page states the order is necessary to promote public safety during helicopter operations. Planned aerial work on Beaver Creek will involve low-flying aircraft, sling loads, ground crews, and other aviation activity that could pose hazards to the public. Restricting access is intended to reduce the likelihood of the public encountering rotor wash, falling material, aviation-related debris, or unexpected aircraft movement in confined terrain. Additional hazards listed include temporarily restricted visibility, operational noise, and the presence of emergency personnel and equipment in the roadway.

The prohibition is using a motor vehicle on the listed roads during the temporary closure period associated with helicopter operations on September 16, 2026, as shown on Exhibit A. The order remains in effect for the duration of helicopter operations on September 16, 2026, or until terminated or superseded as conditions are reevaluated. Exemptions apply to holders of Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48, federal, state, or local officers and members of organized rescue or firefighting forces performing official duties, and persons engaged in work, trade, or occupation within the closed roads to the extent necessary to conduct duties. The order was executed in Yreka, California on August 11, 2026. Violation is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.

Camping Stay Limits

The page titled Camping Stay Limitations in the Klamath National Forest states camping is limited at any one location for more than 14 consecutive days and within the Klamath National Forest for no more than 30 days per calendar year. The alert start date is August 20, 2026. The alert end date is August 20, 2028. The order number is 05-05-00-26-09.

The order text prohibits camping in any one location for more than 14 consecutive days and within the Klamath National Forest for more than 30 days per calendar year on all National Forest System lands within the Klamath National Forest. The order was executed in Yreka, California on August 19, 2026. Exemptions apply to persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 specifically exempting them and to federal, state, or local officers or members of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in performance of an official duty. Violation is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.

Wilderness Rules For Three Areas

The page titled Wilderness Area Restrictions - Siskiyou, Marble Mountain, and Russian Wilderness lists nine prohibitions for National Forest System lands within the Siskiyou Wilderness, Marble Mountain Wilderness, and Russian Wilderness areas. The alert start date is April 6, 2026. The alert end date is April 7, 2028. The order number is 05-05-00-26-01. Forest Order No. 05-05-00-26-01 is effective from April 7, 2026, through April 7, 2028 and was executed in Yreka, California on April 6, 2026.

The prohibited acts are storing or leaving unattended equipment, personal property or supplies for more than 24 hours, disposing of debris, garbage, or other waste, possessing or using a bicycle, wagon, cart, or other mechanized mode of travel, entering or being in the three wilderness areas as part of a group with more than 15 persons, building, maintaining, attending, or using a wood fire in the Devil's Punchbowl Campfire Prohibition Area, disposing of soap water waste within 200 feet of any water source, depositing bodily waste within 200 feet of lakes, streams, springs, campsites, or trails, shortcutting a switchback on a National Forest System trail, and hitching, tethering, or hobbling a horse or other saddle or pack animal to a tree except while loading and unloading or when traveling or within 200 feet of a lake, stream, or campsite except while loading or unloading or while traveling.

The Devil's Punchbowl Campfire Prohibition Area consists of Section 6, Township 16 North, Range 5 East, Humboldt Base and Meridian, as shown on Exhibit A. Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 specifically exempting them are exempt. Federal, state, or local officers and members of an organized rescue or fire-fighting force in performance of an official duty are exempt. Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are not exempt, but may use pressurized liquid or gas devices with shut-off valves in an area at least five feet from flammable materials. A separate Trinity Alps Wilderness Area Restrictions entry on the alert index is effective through September 19, 2028 under Order #25-05-06 from September 18, 2025.

Roads, Phones, And Offices

The alert index entry for Grayback Road Repairs states Grayback Road will undergo repairs in the Granite Creek slide area from July 6 through September. Drivers should stop and proceed only when the roadway is clear and use caution around heavy equipment. Delays are expected to be minimal as work progresses. The alert start date is June 6, 2026.

The contact notice on the alert index states the phone number for project activity levels and woodcutting restrictions is temporarily out of service. In the interim, the temporary number in use is 530-643-0279. The alert start date is June 15, 2026.

The road and driving conditions notice states driving on roads and highways in the National Forests of California can be pleasant or can be frustrating, tiring, and sometimes hazardous. For current road conditions anywhere in California, call 1-800-427-7623 or visit the Cal Trans web site. The alert start date is March 19, 2025.

The Siskiyou Crest Seasonal Safety Closure covers the Siskiyou Crest Vehicle Closure Area along the Siskiyou Crest from Mount Ashland to Siskiyou Peak as described in Exhibit A in Forest Order No. 24-05-10. Using a motorized vehicle including an over-the-snow vehicle off designated routes in that area is addressed by the order. The alert start date is January 3, 2025.

The Supervisor's Office address listed on the alert pages is 1711 South Main Street, Yreka, CA 96097-9549. The phone listed is (530) 842-6131. The contact email listed on the camping, road closure, and wilderness pages is [email protected].

Sources referenced