Land managers, including the BLM, Shoshone-Paiute Tribes and Owyhee County, are asking residents and visitors to avoid the area burned in the recent Soda Fire while recovery efforts are under way after the fire. “We are asking recreationists and other public land users to work with us during recovery,” said BLM Owyhee Field Manager Michelle Ryerson. “Seeded vegetation needs time to establish and be effective in blocking the spread of weeds and invasive species. Burned areas need a vegetative cover to protect the soil from erosion and help retain moisture.” 

The fire was 100 percent contained on Aug. 23, but there are continuing hazards in the area as managers work to rehab the landscape. Ryerson said people target shooting in the burned area have made working conditions unsafe and inhibited the progress of rehabilitation, and officials are asking recreational shooters to find alternate locations. If people don’t cooperate, agencies will consider a mandatory closure of the area. The BLM has a list of other recreation sites that remain open online here.