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Wenatchee – Beginning Friday, July 24, campfire restrictions go into effect on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Campfires will be allowed only in designated developed campgrounds and congressionally-designated Wilderness Areas. In all other areas, including dispersed camping areas, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including a fire made from briquettes, will be prohibited. These restrictions are the result of increasing fire danger in the national forest.
Most designated or developed campgrounds are exempt from this order, as are some other special sites such as group camps and summer homes under permit. Please visit or call the appropriate ranger station to obtain information on specific campground restrictions. Information is also available on the forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fsbdev3_053600.
Campfires will be allowed within most parts of the Glacier Peak, Chelan-Sawtooth, Alpine Lakes, Henry M. Jackson, Goat Rocks, Norse Peak, and William O. Douglas Wilderness Areas. However, some locations within those listed Wilderness Areas, especially the Alpine Lakes and Henry M. Jackson Wildernesses, have standing year-round 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 remind hikers, campers and recreationists to be extremely careful with any use of fire in the outdoors this summer. Escaped campfires are the leading cause of human-caused wildland fires on the Okanogan-Wenatchee NF. Campfires typically become problems when campers fail to completely extinguish them before leaving campsites.
Contact these Okanogan-Wenatchee NF offices for more information; although offices are closed due information receptionists are taking calls, and returning calls to messages during regular office hours, Monday-Friday: Tonasket Ranger District 509-486-2186; Methow Valley Ranger District 509-996-4000; Chelan Ranger Station, 509-682-4900; Entiat Ranger Station, 509-784-4700; Wenatchee River Ranger Station, 509-548-2550; Cle Elum Ranger Station 509-852-1100; and Naches Ranger Station, 509-653-1401.
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