Dartmoor National Park has military firing ranges which are used at various times, both day and night,  for live firing for training purposes. Indications of live firing are given by notices as well as red flags (red lights at night), in and around the 3 ranges (Merrivale, Willsworthy and Okehampton) on the north of Dartmoor, (north of the B3212 Moretonhampstead to Tavistock road). If the red flags are not hoisted by 0900 hours from April to September inclusive, and by 1000 hours from October to March inclusive, no live firing will take place that day.

Public access is allowed within the ranges except during live firing for obvious reasons.

Dartmoor National Park has been used for military training since the early 1800s. There is always a risk you could come across unexploded ordnance anywhere on the moor. Please do not touch or tamper with any strange or metal object, it may be dangerous. Leave it alone, mark and note the location, and inform the Commandant (tel: 01837 650010), Okehampton Camp, the police or at an Information Centre.

On post July 2005 Ordnance Survey Dartmoor Explorer Maps the Range Danger Areas are depicted as follows:

• even though public access may be available at times, there will be no yellow tint (which is used on the maps to depict access land) within the Range Danger Area boundaries
• each of the three Range Danger Areas is shown individually. Each is symbolised by inward facing solid red triangles but where they share a boundary there are two lines of red triangles, one facing in each direction
• each Range Danger Area is labelled as follows:

Name of Range Danger Area
Access may be restricted

For further information visit Dartmoor Firing programme
or tel: 0800 458 4868