Effective immediately, anyone wanting to use Crown land for an ATV rally will have to get a provincial permit, which can be denied or revoked if conditions are too dry.

Conservation Minister Stan Struthers says enforcement is also being stepped up - some conservation officers will be moved to areas popular with ATV users.

ATV rallies are already prohibited in provincial parks and ecological reserves, but Struthers admits not everyone follows the rules.

The province is responding after several wildfires - including one southeast of Winnipeg last year that covered 3,400 hectares - that were caused by hot debris from ATV mufflers.