Campfires (wood, briquettes) prohibited in all state parks

OLYMPIA — Aug. 18, 2016 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announces a statewide ban on campfires in all state parks and ocean beaches in the Seashore Conservation Area through September 30, due to extreme heat and dry conditions. The ban is part of a statewide effort to prevent human-caused wildfires.

The prohibition on campfires in state parks complies with the August 17 announcement by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, which bans all outdoor fires on DNR-protected lands.

All of Washington state parks are under a Level 4 – Extreme fire ban or higher. A Level 4 ban means fires are restricted to gas and propane self-contained camping stoves. No charcoal or wood fires will be allowed – even in State Parks-designated fire rings. Liquid or propane camp stoves, including gas-powered fire rings, that do not use solid briquettes and have on/off controls are permitted.

For campfire restrictions within county and city jurisdictions, State Parks advises people to contact those entities.

Updates on state parks’ conditions, including campfire bans, are posted on the agency’s online Alert Center at: http://parks.state.wa.us/AlertCenter.