OLYMPIA — To help prevent wildfires, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is alerting the public of a temporary target shooting ban on all WDFW-managed lands statewide. The Department of Natural Resources also announced target shooting restrictions last week for all DNR-managed lands.

“We implemented several fire risk prevention measures for WDFW lands in Eastern Washington earlier this summer,” said Cynthia Wilkerson, Lands Division Manager for WDFW. “With increasing fire danger and several recent incidents of human-caused fires in southwest Washington, we want to emphasize that the target shooting ban includes Western Washington.”

This ban applies to the approximately one million acres of land managed by WDFW, including wildlife areas and water access areas throughout the state. The temporary rule does not restrict lawful hunting.

All temporary restrictions will remain in effect until the risk of wildfire decreases, Wilkerson said. Any changes to these restrictions will be posted on the department’s website at wdfw.wa.gov.

Discharging firearms poses a greater risk in dry conditions as bullets pass through decayed wood, cause sparks off rocks, or break into fragments in dry grass. Fires can ignite even after a shooter has left an area.

Fire danger on most of the east side is rated as “high” or “extremely high.” Many counties in Western Washington are also at a “high” fire danger level. Residents should check for burn bans in their areas on DNR’s website.

USFS roads closed

SHELTON — For the safety and health of the public, employees and volunteers, Forest Roads 24 and 2451 that provide public access to Lake Cushman, several trails, day-use sites, and the Staircase entrance of the Olympic National Park were closed to vehicles and pedestrians beginning Saturday.

Recent increased visitation along the narrow road corridor has far exceeded capacity and led to gridlock, resulting in hazardous conditions for the public, the Park and Forest Service staff, according to a National Park Service press release. Overflow of vehicles prevented emergency response vehicles and personnel from responding to recent requests for help. Overuse of the area has also led to resource damage along the corridor.

“The extreme numbers of people recreating at Lake Cushman are creating unsafe conditions and degrading the experience for everyone. No one wants to be stuck in a 6-mile long traffic jam on a narrow, gravel road with no way to turn around,” said USFS District Ranger Yewah Lau.

According to Lau, the area will be closed and there will be no public access to Lake Cushman. Access to that area, however, will be allowed for residents who live beyond the road closure, emergency response personnel and administrative staff. The closure of the road, associated day-use sites and trailheads will continue until the weather cools and visitation returns to a manageable level.

Throughout the country, outdoor recreation sites on public lands have experienced highly increased visitation leading to overcrowding, overparking, excessive trash and scattered human waste this summer. This comes during a time of limited Forest Service staffing to keep up with cleaning and trash pick-up.

“This was a hard decision to make, but necessary for the health and safety of visitors and staff. I hope people can discover other less crowded areas to enjoy,” said Lau. This decision was made in cooperation with the National Park Service, Mason County, Tacoma Power, Washington State Patrol, the Skokomish Tribe and other local partners.

During the increased visitation on public lands, the Forest Service recommends people be prepared for overcrowding and prepare a backup plan. To find out about local conditions, please visit websites and social media of those recreation areas.

Leland closure

The Lake Leland day-use Jefferson County park will be closed for construction starting on Monday for approximately three months.

The Lake Leland County campground will remain open until the usual seasonal closure on October 31. Campers and day use visitors should be aware there will be no public access to Lake Leland, however.

The project includes a new fishing dock, vault toilet, accessible bank fishing area, picnic tables, habitat enhancements and trail improvements. The property is owned by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and leased to Jefferson County Parks and Recreation for operations and maintenance.

For information about park use please contact Matt Tyler, Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Manager at mtyler@countyrec.com or at 360-385-9160. For information about the construction project please contact Casey Davidson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at casey.davidson@dfw.wa.gov.