For the Reporter

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announced Friday that the ban on campfires in Western Washington state parks has been eased as of this morning.

Washington State Parks wants the public to know that park managers have the discretion to restrict campfires in these campgrounds, based on their assessment of conditions, which may change quickly.

Campfires are allowed in approved fire pits only. Park managers may also require smaller fires than are normally acceptable.

“We understand how important campfires are to our visitors’ camping experience,” said State Parks Director Don Hoch. “Even with the recent rains, we are still concerned about the possibility of wildfire. We urge everyone to use extreme caution and to let our staff know if they encounter any hazardous conditions in state parks. This summer’s fire season has been unprecedented, and we appreciate everyone’s understanding.”

Easing of the burn ban follows today’s announcement by the Commissioner of Public Lands and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that adjusted the current statewide burn ban to allow for recreational campfires in western Washington. That agency has fire protection responsibility for nearly 13 million acres statewide, including most state parks.

The public is encouraged to check the individual parks’ web pages for any exceptions regarding campfire restrictions. Visit www.parks.wa.gov and click on the “Parks” link for a list of all parks. Any campfire restrictions will be listed under the “Alert Center” section of the web page.