The U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) would like to remind everyone of year-round fire restrictions onImperial, Cibola, Bill Williams River and Havasu National Wildlife Refuges. Kofa National Wildlife Refuge,which normally does permit campfires, is included in the fire restrictions that began on May 2. Therestrictions on Kofa National Wildlife Refuge are temporary, and are expected to remain in force until
September 2, 2005. However, fire conditions will be re-evaluated periodically, and if the extreme firedanger lessens; the restrictions may be lifted sooner. The Service is asking everyone to use extremecaution when visiting their National Wildlife Refuges, and to please abide by the following fire restrictions:
1. The building or using a fire, campfire or wood stove is prohibited. The use of
commercially manufactured charcoal and gas grills is allowed. The use of lanterns, heating
devices, candles, "tiki torches" and smudge pots is allowed provided they are placed at least
10 feet from any vegetation.
2. The use of all fireworks, flares, or other incendiary devices is prohibited.
3. Smoking is permitted only within vehicles.
These restrictions are in place on the Kofa, Imperial, Cibola, Bill Williams River and Havasu NationalWildlife Refuges along the Colorado River, and violations are punishable by fine and/or imprisonment.
Wildland fire is extremely devastating to the riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian wildlife habit on the Colorado River. The area, alongthe river corridor, which was once dominated by stands of native cottonwood and willow, is nowdominated by non-native Tamarisk (salt cedar). Many important bird species, including the endangeredwillow flycatcher, much prefer the willows and cottonwoods, and in many cases are dependent upon the
wildlife habitat created by the stands of native trees.
Salt cedar is a fire adapted species, whereas willow and cottonwood are not tolerant of fire. Wildlandfires have killed much of the willow and cottonwood, along the Colorado River, allowing the highlyinvasive salt cedar to dominate these once wildlife rich areas. This, and the close proximity of homesmake fire prevention a very high priority in the Colorado River Ecosystem.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field
stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
Visit the Services website at http://www.fws.gov.
