Can you camp in a wildfire burn scar?
A wildfire scar on the map is a recorded burn perimeter from NIFC — a perimeter that burned in a past year, not an active fire and not a closure. You can sometimes camp in one, but a recent scar is a hazard: standing dead snags, no shade, and loose, eroded ground. Verify locally before you go.
See the live map →The wildfire layer draws recorded fire perimeters from NIFC's InterAgency Fire Perimeter History, finalized through 2024, plus near-real-time WFIGS perimeters for the current two years and Canada's NBAC composite. It is a recorded perimeter, not current closure status. A scar that burned years ago can be fine to camp in, but a recent burn carries real hazards: standing dead trees, called widowmakers, drop without warning; the canopy is gone, so there is no shade; and bare ground erodes and washes out. Burn areas are sometimes under temporary closure for safety or recovery. The map names the perimeter and its year; the managing agency sets whether you can be there. Verify locally first.
Common questions
- Can you camp in a wildfire burn scar?
- Sometimes. The layer shows a recorded burn perimeter, not a closure — an old scar may be open, but a recent one is hazardous and is sometimes under temporary closure. Check with the managing agency before camping inside a burn area.
- Does the wildfire layer mean there is an active fire?
- No. It is NIFC's InterAgency Fire Perimeter History — a record of where fires burned in past years, colored by recency. It does not show active fires or current closures, so check official sources for live fire and closure status.
- Why is camping in a recent burn scar risky?
- Standing dead trees, called widowmakers, can fall without warning; the burned canopy leaves no shade; and bare, loose ground erodes and washes out. Recent burns are also sometimes closed for safety or recovery. Verify the area's status with the managing agency first.
Sources — verify before you camp
- InterAgency Fire Perimeter History (IFPH, finalized) and WFIGS Interagency Perimeters (near-real-time) — NIFC / National Interagency Fire Center (nifc.gov). US public domain. A recorded perimeter, not current closure status. As accessed 2026-06.
- National Burned Area Composite (NBAC) — Natural Resources Canada / Canadian Wildland Fire Information System. Finalized through 2024; Canada lacks the freshest two years. As accessed 2026-06.
This page aggregates public data; the linked official pages are authoritative — verify before you camp. The color on our map is the disclaimer, never a permit.