Olympic National Forest today restricted outdoor fires in Forest Service lands surrounding Olympic National Park in light of the declared drought conditions that have created fire hazards in forests and wildlands.
A statement issued this morning by Olympic National Forest:
Effective on June 26, 2015, the following will be restricted in Olympic National Forest: 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. Stove fires are fires built inside an enclosed stove or grill, a portable brazier or a pressurized liquid gas stove; these include space-heating devices. Pressurized liquid gas stoves are still allowed.
Clallam and Jefferson counties, the state Department of Natural Resources and Olympic National Park also have instituted burn bans except for small campfires in fire rings or similar controlled devices.