News Release

September 2022 Parkwide fire ban lifted at Mount Rainier National Park

Date: September 16, 2022
Contact: Mount Rainier Media Line, 360-569-6510

ASHFORD, WA – Mount Rainier National Park has lifted the parkwide fire ban after consultation with area and regional fire management officials. Campfires will be permitted at the park’s three campgrounds, including the Ohanapecosh Campground, the Cougar Rock Campground and the White River Campground. This brings the park into alignment with adjacent US Forest Service lands.

The ban was put in place to reduce the risk of human-caused wildland fire during critical weather conditions, ongoing unhealthy air quality due to wildfire smoke, and increased concerns related to nearby wildfire activity.

Developed campground guidelines for fires can be found here. Fires must be fully contained within the closed grate. Never burn trash and do not leave fires unattended. Branches, twigs, and cones nourish the forest as they decompose; do not collect these materials to create a fire. Dry firewood can be purchased within the park at the Longmire General Store. To protect Mount Rainier National Park’s forests, please “Buy It Where You Burn It” – firewood brought in from other areas may contain invasive insect species that pose a serious threat park habitats. To protect the park, please consider the following:

• Buy firewood near where it will burn: that means the wood was cut within 50 miles of where the campfire will be.

• Wood that looks clean and healthy can still have tiny insect eggs, or microscopic fungi spores that could start a new and deadly infestation. Always leave it at home, even if the firewood appears safe.

• Aged or seasoned wood is still not safe. Just because the wood is dry doesn't mean that invasive insects are not living there.

• Tell friends not to bring wood with them. Everyone has a role to play in protecting native forests.

Fires are never permitted on trails or in the park’s wilderness. For more information on wilderness camping, consult the park’s wilderness guidelines. Discharging, or using any kind of fireworks, tracer ammunition or other incendiary devices in any location on federal lands is always prohibited.

The Goat Rocks Fire continues to burn outside southeast corner of the park, 1.5 miles northeast of the town of Packwood, in and around the Goat Rocks Wilderness area. The fire has been relatively quiet in movement and overall fire behavior. The cooler weather conditions are aiding fire crews with suppression efforts.

No fires are currently burning inside Mount Rainier National Park. If you observe smoke or flames inside the park or on nearby lands, please dial 911 or notify a ranger.