PUBLIC LANDS --   Hot, dry weather has forced land managers to impose restrictions on camping, burning and access throughout the Northwest, as we rounded up in a story in Thursday Outdoors.

Since then, more restrictions have come up, including:

• Weyerhaeuser closing its timberlands in Western Washington and Oregon to the public because of fire concerns.
• Montana limiting fishing hours in the Clark Fork, Bitterroot and Blackfoot rivers.

On Thursday, the Bureau of Land Management’s Spokane District finally got its act together and began its seasonal closure of Towell Falls Road to motorized traffic.

The route, typically open from April to June, is particularly susceptible to wildfire ignition from vehicle use due to the presence of tall vegetation on the roadway during the summer season.

The Rock Creek Management Area, located 20 miles south of Sprague, Washington, can still be accessed on foot, horseback, and bike.

Info: BLM Spokane District Office at (509) 536-1200 or visit