UPDATE: July 1, 2015
Well, this is definitely not the summer to try all the s’mores.
In case you haven’t heard, parts of the Pacific Northwest experienced the hottest and driest June on record, and we’re in a major drought. This adds up to a wildfire season off to an unfortunate early start, from the Siskiyou National Forest to Olympic National Park, and it’s predicted to be a bad fire season all summer long.
To see an updated status of all current wildfires, visit Inciweb for Washington and for Oregon. If there is a wildfire in or near an area you plan to visit, hike or camp in, it may close access roads, campgrounds and trailheads.
If you live in an area experiencing a wildfire right now, you are probably evacuating your home or at the very least dealing with hazy, smoke-filled air and a lot of stress. Our thoughts are with you and the fire fighters battling these blazes.
Going camping? There are campfire restrictions and bans all over the place (see details below). In fact, this is the third summer in a row that has seen broad bans of campfires in the Northwest, some even extending to campfires in designated pits and rings, but the restrictions have come much earlier this summer.
Does Your Campground Allow Campfires?
Northwest campgrounds are managed by many different public land agencies and scattered throughout many different counties that might have burn bans. If you’re headed out for a camping trip this summer and want to know whether or not you can have a campfire, try these steps:
1) Check with the agency that manages the campground to see if any campfire restrictions are currently in place.
2) Check to see if the county the campground is in has enacted a burn ban, and if it extends to recreational fires in campgrounds. Many county burn bans make exceptions for designated fire rings within national parks or forests within the county. Each case is different.
Please note, even if your destination campground is allowing campfires at the moment, conditions can change quickly. Land managers have the discretion to restrict campfires in campgrounds, based on their assessment of conditions, which may change quickly.If you plan to cook over a campfire, bring a camp stove and fuel as an alternate for cooking your food just in case you arrive and find out you can’t have a campfire after all.
Current Campfire Bans and Restrictions
The majority of campfire restrictions in the Northwest right now are in Washington.
Washington State Parks
All campfires are banned in Washington State Parks, effective 6/26/15 – 9/30/15. Fires are restricted to gas and propane (self-contained camping stoves are allowed). Charcoal or wood fires are not allowed. In addition, as a further precaution, gas and propane may be used for cook stoves only (not lanterns, etc).
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
DNR has issued a statewide burn ban to run through September 30, 2015. The ban applies to all outdoor burning on DNR-protected lands.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
WDFW has prohibited all campfires, but allows personal camp stoves or lanterns fueled by liquid petroleum, liquid petroleum gas or propane.
Olympic National Park
All backcountry wilderness campfires are banned as of 6/25/15. This includes all fires on coastal wilderness beaches. Camp stoves are still permitted. Campfires are permitted in established fire grates at established frontcountry car campgrounds. The burn restriction will remain in place until further notice. For additional info click here or contact the Olympic National Park headquarters at 360-565-3000.
Mt. Rainier National Park
There are no campfire restrictions in effect at this time. Note that the park did have a two-day temporary ban on campfires within developed campgrounds back in June, and will activate a temporary ban again in fire conditions become more serious, so check before your trip. To confirm there are no restrictions at the time of your trip, click here for park alerts or call park headquarters at 360-569-2211.
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
The forest is implementing a complete ban on campfires on national forest lands in Kittitas and Chelan counties. Beginning on July 2, no campfires will be allowed in the Cle Elum, Wenatchee River, Entiat, and Chelan Ranger Districts. Contact ranger districts directly for more information.
Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
As of 6/29, the forest has restricted open campfires throughout the forest except in designated developed campgrounds that have established concrete or steel-grated fire pits or rings. Click here for more information.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Beginning Friday, July 3rd campfires will be restricted to provided metal campfire rings or grills in developed recreational sites. Click here for more information.
Olympic National Forest
The Olympic Peninsula experienced the driest May and June since 1895. The following restrictions are effective June 26: building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire, unless the fire is in an established fireplace, approved or constructed by a public agency, and located within a developed recreation area. Briquette fires are not allowed in the restricted areas. Campfires, including wood or charcoal fires, are allowed only in developed campgrounds within fire rings. Campfires will not be allowed in the following campgrounds due to the extreme fire potential: Lena Lake and Elkhorn Campgrounds on the Hood Canal Ranger District, Campbell Tree Grove and Littleton Horse Camp Campgrounds on the Pacific Ranger District. Stove fires are allowed at these locations. Click here for more information.
Oregon State Parks
There are no campfire restrictions as long as you build your fire in park-provided fire rings. Fire conditions and restrictions change quickly, so look for signs in the park or ask a ranger about current conditions, or possible campfire bans.
Wondering how you will make s’mores over a gas grill or bbq? It can be done.
To report a wildfire in Washington, call 1 (800) 562-6010.