ELLENSBURG, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is banning all campfires on its lands throughout the Southeast region starting Friday.
The restriction on campfires includes popular recreation destinations in the Teanaway Community Forest near Cle Elum and the Ahtanum State Forest west of Yakima.
The new policy comes after hot and dry summer weather has increased wildfire danger in the area. Fire dangers have reached extreme levels in the lower Columbia Basin and are very high across much of the 17-county region.
This restriction is a critical step to reduce potential wildfire ignition sources as fire dangers remain elevated. An uptick of fires in forested areas east of the Cascades indicates the Pacific Northwest is entering the fire season.
For people recreating throughout the region on DNR-managed lands, propane or butane camp stoves and backpacking stoves are still allowed.
DNR’s Southeast Region covers Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima counties, as well as portions of Lincoln and Skamania counties. Click here to check the map.
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