Fire officials have expanded burn bans in Lewis County and the surrounding area due to critical fire conditions in the weather forecast for Western Washington.
Western Washington is currently under a major heat risk warning, with localized areas of extreme heat risk, due to a level of long-duration heat with little to no overnight relief, according to the National Weather Service. Some relief was expected to arrive Thursday, with cooler temperatures heading into the weekend, but the restrictions will remain in effect.
“Low relative humidity, unstable conditions and dry fuels may create weather conditions conducive to rapid fire growth or spread,” the National Weather service stated, adding, “Fine fuels, including roadside grasses, may be particularly receptive to fire starts.”
A total burn ban was in effect for all of unincorporated Lewis County and the City of Chehalis as of Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Additionally, the Washington state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has banned rule burns, permit burns and all campfires on lands it protects throughout its Pacific Cascade Region. A map of the region is available online at dnr.wa.gov/about/dnr-regions-and-districts.
Added to DNR’s existing campfire restrictions across the state, DNR now prohibits all campfires on its lands in Washington.
“Our landscapes are already dry and only getting drier, and we’ve all felt the smoke in the air,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz in a news release. “I am asking everyone in Washington to do their part to protect our firefighters and our communities this summer. Please do not start a fire outside so we can all breathe easier.”
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which includes over 1.3 million acres of forest wildlife habitat, watersheds and mountains in Southern Washington, enacted a similar campfire ban on Wednesday, Aug. 16.
“With the warm weather and dry vegetation, the risk for wildfires is above normal,” said Fire Management Staff Officer Dirk Shupe in a news release announcing the ban. “The forest has seen a significant increase in human-caused wildfires compared to previous years. Any wildfire start presents a danger to firefighter safety, public safety and personal property. We want to minimize that risk by asking everyone to do their part.”
Mount Rainier National Park announced Wednesday it will enact a parkwide fire ban for all campfires and the ignition of wood, briquettes or any fuel in fire pits, fire pans and barbeque grills beginning Friday, Aug. 18 until further notice.
“The fire ban supports national incident management efforts by reducing the risk of wildland fire on park lands and the subsequent need to draw from limited firefighting resources,” park officials stated in a news release.
The Lewis County ban is an upgrade from the burn restrictions the Lewis County Fire Marshal issued in June and prohibits all outdoor burning, including recreational fires, until further notice.
“While the Board of County Commissioners and I recognize that this decision may alter recreational plans, the decision to expand the burn restriction to a total burn ban reflects the county’s priority of public safety and the protection of personnel as well as property,”
Lewis County Fire Marshal Doyle Sanford said in a news release announcing the new burn restrictions. The City of Chehalis’ burn ban, which was issued by the Chehalis fire chief on Tuesday, is separate from Lewis County’s ban.
“State officials have stated the risk of fire is high, and this year’s wildfire season has the potential to be challenging as fine fuels continue to cure. It is vital that everyone be extra vigilant about fire safety during this time,” Chehalis Fire Chief Adam Fulbright stated in a news release.
Instead of issuing a burn ban, Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) announced Wednesday, Aug. 16, it would close all public access to its forest lands in Thurston, Lewis, Cowlitz and Clark counties in an effort to prevent wildfires.
“Preventing wildfires during fire season is everyone’s responsibility,” said SPI spokesperson Lisa Perry in a news release. “Closure of our lands to public access and recreation is an important and necessary step to increasing public safety, supporting those professionals preparing for frontline emergency response, and protecting natural resources.”
Public roads crossing SPI lands are not affected by this closure, but SPI’s internal roads and walk-in access to the company’s privately owned lands is prohibited until further notice.
“SPI has committed to regularly evaluate the situation and keep interested parties updated on any changes. We anticipate the closure will remain in effect until moisture levels and long-range weather forecasts improve, likely sometime in the fall of 2023,” according to the news release.
For updates on the closure, contact the SPI’s Southwest Washington Recreation Hotline at 360-623-1299.
What the bans allow and prohibit
The Lewis County burn bans prohibit recreational wood fires, charcoal briquettes, items such as lanterns and stoves that use non-pressurized liquid fuel, solid fuel and citronella candles not inside metal or glass containers, fireworks, any incendiary devices such as sky lanterns or tracer ammunition and smoking outside of cleared areas in parks.
The City of Chehalis burn ban prohibits recreational fires or bonfires, use of charcoal briquettes, campfires, and fires in outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and chimney-type devices.
In Chehalis city limits, “Cooking or heating fires in unmanaged situations such as homeless camps, encampments of unsheltered community members, are illegal under city ordinance and will be extinguished,” Fulbright stated in a news release.
The DNR, Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mount Rainier National Park campfire bans prohibit all open fires, wood and charcoal fires, charcoal grills, pellet fires and fires in designated rock fire pits or camping rings.
Discharging, or using any kind of fireworks, tracer ammunition or other incendiary devices in any location on federal lands is always prohibited.
Use of propane, pressurized gas or butane camp stoves, backpacking stoves and barbecues that have on/off controls are allowed under all burn bans.
Lewis County, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mount Rainier National Park additionally allow pressurized gas lights, battery-powered or electric lights, and propane fire pits that can quickly be turned off. Lewis County also allows candles inside glass or metal containers.
All burn bans are in effect until further notice. Anyone who sees smoke or flames within any of the areas with an active burn ban is encouraged to call 911.
“The Lewis County Fire Marshal, in coordination with the Washington state Department of Natural Resources and Lewis County fire district fire chiefs strongly urges all county residents and property owners to be attentive to the conditions of their properties through proactive fire prevention measures,” Lewis County officials stated in a news release.
For more information on outdoor burning or the restrictions effective in Lewis County, contact Sanford at 360-740-2696. The fire marshal’s office is in the Lewis County Public Services building, located at 2025 NE Kresky Ave., Chehalis. Information is also available on the county’s website at https://lewiscountywa.gov/communitydevelopment.
Weather forecast
As of Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service expected temperatures to start cooling near the coast on Wednesday and Thursday, though high temperatures are expected to continue in the interior through Thursday. Temperatures are expected to return to “near normal” on Friday, with “additional heat impacts not expected” Friday and beyond.
That temperature reduction is expected to do little to alleviate the fire risk, however, as the National Weather Service forecasts continued low relative humidity values and “increasing instability” in the Cascades.
For the latest forecast updates, visit weather.gov/seattle.
People are advised to be mindful of symptoms of heat exhaustion, including dizziness, thirst, heavy sweating, nausea and weakness. Heat exhaustion can progress into heat stroke, symptoms of which include confusion, dizziness and unconsciousness. Symptoms can be eased by moving to a cooler area, sipping cool water and loosening clothing, but emergency treatment should be sought if symptoms don’t improve or progress to the point of heat stroke.
The Salvation Army at 303 N. Gold St. in Centralia is open as a cooling shelter from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Thursday, Aug. 17. The agency will continue offering its regular lunch program Wednesday through Friday beginning at 11 a.m.
Lewis County Emergency Management has also identified Timberland Regional Library locations as “good places to go to get a reprieve from the heat.”
Visit https://www.trl.org/ for hours and locations.
For Southwest Washington Fair attendees, cooling stations will be available inside the Community Events building and Expo Hall, and misting stations will be set up throughout the fairgrounds, according to Lewis County Emergency Management.
