DNR and county officials are implementing burn restrictions in Grays Harbor, Clallam, and Jefferson Counties

OLYMPIA - Effective 12:01 A.M., July 2, 2009, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in cooperation with officials from Clallam, Jefferson and Grays Harbor Counties, will enact restrictions on all outdoor burning. As of July 2, 2009, all land clearing, residential and silvicultural burning will be banned until further notice. This burn ban does not extend to federally managed lands. 

Recreational campfires are allowed if built in improved fire pits in designated campgrounds, such as those typically found in local, county, and state parks and in commercial campgrounds. On private land, campfires are permitted with the landowner's permission if built in an approved manner:

• In a metal, stone or masonry-lined fire pit such as those seen in approved campgrounds.
• They may not exceed three feet in diameter,
• They must have an area at least ten feet around them cleared of all flammable material and at least 20 feet of clearance from overhead fuels.
• Campfires must be attended at all times by a responsible person at least 16 years old with the ability and tools to extinguish the fire, a shovel and either five gallons of water or a connected and charged water hose.

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Completely extinguish campfires by pouring water or moist soil in them and stirring with a shovel until all parts are cool to the touch. The use of self-contained camp stoves is encouraged as an alternative.

For more information on local fire restrictions

Department of Natural Resources: Olympic Regional Office (360) 374-2800 or your local fire district.

For daily updates on burn restrictions, call 1-800-323-BURN or visit DNR's website at: http://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger/BurnRisk.aspx . Also check with Olympic Region Clean Air Agency by calling 1-800-422-5623 or visit http://www.orcaa.org/.

DNR's wildfire mission

Administered by Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, DNR is responsible for preventing and fighting wildfires on 12.7 million acres of private, state and tribal-owned forestlands in Washington. DNR is the state's largest on-call fire department. During fire season, this includes more than 700 DNR employees who have other permanent jobs with the agency and about 375 seasonal workers. DNR also participates in Washington's coordinated interagency approach to firefighting.