Due to increased risk of wildfires, Gifford Pinchot National Forest fire managers have issued restrictions on campfires, smoking, and other activities within the forest. These restrictions will become effective on July 10, 2023, at 12:01 am.
“We are seeing dry conditions, earlier in the year, across the forest,” said Dirk Shupe, Fire Management Staff Officer for the Gifford Pinchot and Mt. Hood National Forests. “With an anticipated dry, warm summer ahead, we are putting restrictions in place to limit unnecessary risks caused by abandoned or escaped campfires. We ask that everyone do their part to prevent human-caused wildfires by respecting all fire related restrictions.”
Restrictions include:
- Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including a charcoal fire and pellet fire on all Gifford Pinchot general forest.
- Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a designated campground, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
- Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained, and in effective working order.
- Possessing, discharging, or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device is PROHIBITED year-round on national forest lands.
Violators can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned up to six months in jail.
The following exemptions apply:
- Portable cooking stoves, lanterns, and heating devices using liquefied or bottled fuel, such as propane, are still allowed as they can be instantly switched off.
- Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire or charcoal fire is authorized in the following developed campgrounds:
Cowlitz Valley Ranger District
- Adams Fork Campground
- Big Creek Campground
- Blue Lake Creek Campground
- Cat Creek Campground **NOT CHIMNEY AREA**
- Cispus Learning Center
- Cody Horse Camp
- Horseshoe Lake Campground
- Keenes Horse Camp
- Killen Creek Campground
- North Fork Campground
- Olallie Lake Campground
- Soda Springs Campground
- Takhlakh Lake Campground
- Tower Rock Campground
- Walupt Lake Campground
- Walupt Horse Camp
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument & District
- Kalama Horse Camp
- Sunset Falls Campground
Mt Adams Ranger District
- Atkisson Group Camp
- Beaver Campground
- Cold Springs Indian Camp
- Cultus Creek Campground
- Falls Creek Horse Camp
- Forlorn Lakes Campground
- Goose Lake Campground
- Government Mineral Springs Campground (Includes Guard Station)
- Lewis River Horse Camp
- Lower Falls Campground
- Moss Creek Campground
- Oklahoma Campground
- Paradise Creek Campground
- Peterson Prairie Campground
- Tillicum Campground
- Trout Lake Creek Campground
- Twin Falls Campground
Even where campfires are permitted, campfires should be fully extinguished and cool to the touch before leaving the site. Use the metal campfire rings in the campgrounds and keep a shovel and bucket of water close by.
On average, nine out of ten wildfires are caused by humans each year. Smokey Bear’s message of preventing unwanted human-caused ignitions is more relevant today than ever before as more people live closer to wildlands and recreate outdoors.
For Gifford Pinchot National Forest fire information please visit: www.fs.usda.gov/main/giffordpinchot/fire.
For more information about the local and regional fire outlook visit: https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/predict/outlook.aspx.
