Local News

Campfire Restrictions Increase in Okanogan County

Jul 14, 2014

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest expanded previous campfire restrictions because of high fire danger in Okanogan and Chelan Counties.

A new Forest Order was issued prohibiting all campfires outside of developed campgrounds (with some limited exceptions) on National Forest System Lands within Okanogan and Chelan Counties. The campfire restriction will remain in effect until further notice.

The Forest Order includes areas within the Methow Valley, Tonasket Ranger Chelan, Entiat and Wenatchee River (Leavenworth/Lake Wenatchee) Districts.

Effective Wednesday, July 16th, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including a fire made from briquettes, will be prohibited with certain exceptions. Designated developed campgrounds with approved metal fire rings are exempt from this order, as are some other special sites. Please visit or call the appropriate ranger station to obtain information on these sites.

Congressionally-designated wilderness areas in Chelan Country are also exempt from this order and include the Alpine Lakes, Henry M. Jackson, Glacier Peak, Chelan Sawtooth, and Pasayten Wilderness Areas. However, some locations within those listed wilderness areas already have standing campfire restrictions. Please contact the appropriate ranger station for specific fire regulations pertaining to wilderness areas.

Persons using or maintaining pressurized liquid gas stoves or an enclosed solid fuel fire using a wick are also exempt from this order.

Fire managers on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest ask that anyone utilizing the national forest to be extremely careful with any use of fire in the outdoors this season. Fire conditions are extremely volatile now and while fire crews are positioned for initial attack, additional human-caused fires will diminish resources and abilities to control wildfires.