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Contact: Charles Beall, 360-856-5700; ext. 365
Mountlake Terrace, WA Effective Noon, Monday, September 18th, the ban on open fires on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades National Park Service Complex will be lifted due to significant rainfall dampening the forests. The open fire ban has restricted campfires anywhere in the national forest and the national park complex since September 8th. Campfires are once again allowed in designated fire pits within campsites of Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas and North Cascades National Park. On the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, campfires are allowed in any campground still open to public use and outside of campgrounds in undeveloped recreation sites including our Wilderness Areas. Dry conditions may persist in some parts of Washington State, in particular Eastern Washington and some parts of the Olympic Peninsula, says Dave Johnson, Fire Staff Officer, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Visitors to those parts of the State are encouraged to check with state, local and federal land management agencies to determine if any campfire restrictions are in place. The Park Service and Forest Service wish to thank the public for support of this recent campfire ban, says Kelly Bush, Acting Chief Ranger, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, ?and for taking precautions in this very dry summer with their campfires before the ban went into effect. Compliance with the ban was very good, in spite of some inconvenience to campers on recent cold nights. The public is reminded that even with wetting rains, unattended or abandoned campfires can cause wildfires until the forest floor is thoroughly wet from rain or snow. Camp and warming-fire builders are urged to extinguish their fires completely before leaving the area by dousing flames with lots of water, stirring the ash/water mixture completely, and checking by hand to ensure the ashes are cold to the touch. |
Last updated: August 11, 2017