Recent rains and cooler temperatures across western Washington are prompting the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reduce campfire restrictions west of the Cascade Mountains. Effective Friday, Sept. 2, campfires will be allowed within approved fire pits in designated campgrounds on Western Washington lands protected by DNR.
The ban on campfires also has been lifted in Grays Harbor County, while restrictions still prohibit all residential burning:
“Grays Harbor County Fire Districts and Fire Departments in cooperation with the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA), will be repealing previous restrictions to allow recreational campfires as described below. All residential burning, along with land clearing and silvicultural [forest practices] burning will remain prohibited until further notice.”
Recreational campfires are allowed if built in improved fire pits in designated campgrounds, such as those typically found in local, county, and state parks and in commercial campgrounds. On private land, campfires are permitted with the landowner’s permission if built in the following approved manner:
• The campfire shall be no greater than 3-feet in diameter and constructed of a ring of metal, stone or brick 8-inches above ground surface, with a 2-foot- wide area cleared down to exposed soil surrounding the outside of the pit.
• The campfire shall have an area at least 10-feet around it cleared of all flammable material and at least 20-feet of clearance from overhead flammable materials or fuels.
• The campfire must be attended at all times by a responsible person at least 16-years old with the ability to extinguish the fire with a shovel and a 5-gallon bucket of water or with a connected and charged water hose.
Completely extinguish campfires by pouring water or moist soil in them and stirring with a shovel until all parts are cool to the touch. The use of self-contained camp stoves is encouraged as an alternative.
The campfire prohibition continues on DNR-protected lands across Eastern Washington. The statewide ban on other outdoor burning, such as debris burning, also continues.
“With this wetter weather in western Washington, easing the burn ban in time to permit campfires over Labor Day weekend is the right thing to do,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, who oversees DNR.
“There is still significant fire risk on the east side of the Cascades, however, so we can’t permit campfires there,” said Goldmark. “We ask the public to help firefighters by observing the burn ban, with this exception for westside campfires in approved fire pits.”
Those choosing to have a campfire in allowed areas should:
• Use an approved or provided fire pit only; don’t create a new one.
• Keep the campfire small.
• Keep plenty of water and a shovel nearby.
• Never leave the campfire unattended.
• To extinguish a campfire: drown with water, mix ashes, scrape partially-burned sticks and logs, and alternate drowning and mixing until cold. A campfire too hot to touch, is too hot to leave.
Fire information
For more information on local fire restrictions:
Grays Harbor County: Fire Marshal’s Office at (360) 249-4222
Washington State Department of Natural Resources: Pacific Cascade Regional Office at (360) 577-2025 or Olympic Region Office at (360) 374-2811
Olympic Region Clean Air Agency: 1-800-422-5623
Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest: (360) 565-3121
Washington State Parks: (360) 902-8844
For current information on burn restrictions, call 1-800-323-BURN or visit DNR’s webpage showing fire danger and burning restrictions by county: www. fortress.wa.gov/dnr/protection/firedanger/. For a description of activities prohibited by the burn ban, go to www.dnr.wa.gov/burn-bans
