Campfire restrictions expanded
Information released by Washington State DNR
On Thursday, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the following increases in fire danger and industrial fire precaution levels (IFPL) on DNR-protected lands.
Effective Friday, Aug. 9, 2019 at 12:01 a.m.:
- Fire danger increases from moderate to high in the Kaniksu Fire Danger Rating Area (FDRA).
- Fire danger increases from high to very high in the Foothills, Lower Yakima, and Upper Yakima FDRA.
- Fire danger remains high in the Highlands FDRA.
- Fire danger remains very high in the Valley, Methow, Upper Basin, Lower Basin, and Chelan FDRA.
Effective Friday, Aug. 9, 2019 at 12:01 a.m.:
- All campfires including campfires in campgrounds are prohibited in the Foothills FDRA.
- Campfires are still prohibited in the Valley and Upper Basin Fire Danger Rating Areas (FDRA).
- Campfires are only allowed in approved designated campgrounds in all other areas in eastern Washington. Individual campgrounds may also prohibit campfires; always check with the campground host before starting a campfire.
Effective Monday, Aug. 12, 2019 at 12:01 a.m.:
- IFPL increases to a level 2 in zone 686.
- IFPL remains a level 3 in zone 609E.
- IFPL remains a level 2 in zones 609W, 631, 633,675, 678, 678W and 684.
- IFPL remains a level 1 in zones 678E, 680, 685, 687 and 688.
Daily updates on burn restrictions are available at 1-800-323-BURN (2876) or on the Fire Danger and Outdoor Burning risk map at https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/protection/firedanger/ and IFPL map at http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ifpl.
The IFPL system
Industrial Fire Precaution Levels apply to all industrial operations that might cause a fire on or adjacent to lands protected from fire by DNR (WAC 332-24-301); this applies to logging, industrial, and forest landowner operations.
The levels are established for each of the 38 “shutdown zones” in the state on the basis of National Fire Danger Rating System data.
There are four IFPL levels:
- Level 1 (closed fire season): fire equipment and a fire watch are required
- Level 2 (partial hoot owl): limits certain activities to between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m.; fire equipment and a fire watch are required
- Level 3 (partial shutdown): prohibits some activities and limits others to between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m.: fire equipment and a fire watch are required
- Level 4 (general shutdown): prohibits all activities
DNR’s wildfire mission
Administered by Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, DNR is responsible for preventing and fighting wildfires on 13 million acres of private, state and tribal-owned forestlands. DNR is the state’s largest on-call fire department and participates in Washington’s coordinated interagency approach to firefighting.
