(Silver City, NM, April 1, 2026) — The Gila National Forest is a popular recreation destination for Easter celebrations. Please recreate responsibly by following current fire restrictions and cleaning up after your festivities are complete.

It has been a very dry winter, and the current fire danger is High. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect across the forest. Camp, stove, or charcoal fires are only permitted in fire structures provided by the Forest Service in developed recreation sites with names (e.g., Mesa Campground or Gomez Peak Day Use Area). Avoid building fires when the weather is hot, dry, or windy.

If using a stove or grill fueled by propane or other liquefied petroleum fuels, clear at least three feet of flammable materials above and around the device. Smoking is allowed only within an enclosed vehicle, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area that is at least three feet in diameter and clear of all flammable material. Be sure to fully extinguish your cigarette and dispose of it properly.

All fires in dispersed camping areas, including those in informal rock rings, are prohibited under these restrictions.

If celebrating Easter in the forest, take this easy step to steward the forest: leave the confetti at home. Cascarones, or confetti-filled eggs, are an Easter tradition in the Southwest, but in the forest, confetti catches the wind and scatters, instantly becoming micro litter. Forest staff typically spend many hours the week following Easter removing confetti from recreation sites. Without removal, confetti washes into streams and rivers and may be consumed by wildlife or permitted livestock.

To protect the Gila National Forest, its wildlife, and downstream resources, and to improve the efficiency of recreational operations and maintenance, we respectfully ask visitors to leave the confetti at home. Appropriate substitutions for confetti include flour, dried leaves, and birdseed. Although it might seem like a reasonable alternative, please do not use a native plant seed mix, as it is difficult to ensure there are no noxious weeds or invasive species in your seed mix.

For everything else you bring with you, please do your part to care for the land: Leave no trace and pack out what you pack in.