Emergency fire restrictions imposed in late July for the Buffalo Gap and Fort Pierre national grasslands in South Dakota and the Nebraska and Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest and Oglala National Grassland in Nebraska were lifted Thursday.

"With the shorter days, cooler nights and higher relative-humidity recovery in the evenings, the fire danger has decreased enough to lift the current fire restrictions; but without significant moisture, human-caused fires are still a concern," Brian Daunt, acting fire-management officer for the Nebraska National Forest, said in a news release.

Fall hunting seasons bring an influx of visitors to the national forests and grasslands in pursuit of game, as well as those wanting to get in that last camping trip or two before winter.

Daunt said visitors are still encouraged to use caution with smoking and campfires, drive on established routes and carry extra water and a shovel to put out small fires.

Lifting the emergency fire restrictions does not affect existing open-fire and motorized travel restrictions not associated with the emergency fire restrictions, Daunt said.