WINDOW ROCK – Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and Bureau of Indian Affairs Navajo Region Director Deborah Shirley have issued an executive order in response to increasingly dangerous fire conditions.
Executive Order No. 03-2025, signed by Nygren and concurred by Shirley, cites high temperatures, minimal precipitation, strong winds and low relative humidity as the basis for the immediate restrictions.
Effective immediately and until further notice, the following are prohibited:
• The possession, manufacture, sale or use of fireworks or any other pyrotechnic devices, pursuant to 17 N.N.C. § 2733.
• Building, maintaining, attending or using open fires outdoors, including charcoal and coal fires. Exceptions include propane, gas or other petroleum-fueled stoves used in developed recreational sites.
• Use of firearms or incendiary devices without a valid permit.
The following uses are permitted under specific conditions:
• Propane, gas or other petroleum-fueled stoves for livestock branding and in designated recreational areas.
• Ceremonial fires that are properly registered with the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency at least five days prior to the event. Burn Registration can be obtained by contacting NNEPA Air Quality at (928) 729-4246, by mail at P.O. Box 529, Fort Defiance, AZ 86504, by fax at (928) 729-4323, or by email at kaelynnmorgan@navajo-nsn.gov.
• Uses by individuals who hold a valid written permit or bonding license authorizing the activity.
“We must take these precautions seriously,” said President Nygren. “Our land, our homes, and our sacred sites are at risk. I urge everyone to do their part and stay safe; only you can help prevent wildfires.”
