If roasting a marshmallow or hot dog at a state park over a campfire was in your hot-summer-Saturday plans for this weekend, think again. In the face of possible triple-digit heat in coming days, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission on Thursday announced a statewide ban on campfires in all state parks.
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The prohibition complies with Wednesday’s announcement by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) banning all outdoor fires on DNR-protected lands, which includes state parks.
The ban, effective through Sept. 30, includes ocean beaches in the Seashore Conservation Area, which is overseen by Washington State Parks and includes much of the Washington coast.
All of Washington state parks are under a Level 4 fire ban, meaning fires are restricted to gas and propane self-contained camping stoves. No charcoal or wood fires will be allowed, even in fire rings. Liquid or propane camp stoves — including gas-powered fire rings — that have on/off controls and do not use solid briquettes are permitted.
Updates on state parks conditions, including campfire bans, are posted on the agency’s online Alert Center at http://parks.state.wa.us/AlertCenter.