MYNORTHWEST NEWS

With state on alert for wildfire danger, Mount Rainier to enact parkwide ban on all campfires

Jul 18, 2021, 8:17 AM | Updated: 8:18 am

Mt Rainier National Park...

A car drives past the Nisqually entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Mount Rainier National Park has announced a parkwide ban for all campfires beginning on Friday, July 23, due to the high level of wildfires around the Pacific Northwest.

According to park officials, the U.S. as a whole is at “Fire Preparedness Level 5,” indicating “the highest level of wildland fire activity.”

“Several geographic areas are experiencing large, complex wildland fire incidents, which have the potential to exhaust national wildland firefighting resources,” the park detailed in a news release. “At least 80 percent of the country’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to wildland fire incidents.”

That has “limited firefighting resources” already drawn away to combat fires in other parts of Washington,.

The ban will be in place indefinitely, but does allow exceptions for the use of portable cooking stoves and lanterns using liquid fuel.

The use of wood, briquettes or any fuel in fire pits, fire pans, and BBQ grills is banned.

MyNorthwest News

Image: Brightly colored eggs are set on a table on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington,...

Ted Buehner

Expect good Easter weekend weather for egg hunts, chilly evening Mariners games

Both Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend will feature temperatures warming to around 60 degrees across much of Western Washington.

8 minutes ago

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 20...

Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio and Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

Seattle tourism dollars break records following All-Star Week, Taylor Swift

It was a record-setting year for dollars flowing into Seattle from tourists.

1 hour ago

Image: A bridge in Carnation....

Julia Dallas

Carnation frustrated with Seattle again after 8th false emergency alarm induces widespread panic

Carnation citizens have faced a series of panic-inducing alarms after SPU's system for the Tolt Dam falsely sounded eight times.

3 hours ago

Grocery store shopper...

Bill Kaczaraba

Ways to deal with Seattle grocery store sticker shock

Seattle grocery store sticker shock continues to play havoc on locals, but there are ways to counter high prices.

3 hours ago

belltown hellcat social media...

Frank Sumrall

Infamous ‘Belltown Hellcat’ social media influencer charged with reckless driving

The social media influencer has been accused of driving 107 miles per hour through Belltown in a Dodge Hellcat.

4 hours ago

KIRO Newsradio gracie awards...

MyNorthwest Staff

KIRO Newsradio anchors receive Gracie Awards for outstanding work

Heather Bosch and Lisa Brooks, anchors at KIRO Newsradio, have been honored by the Alliance for Women in Media with prestigious Gracie Awards.

7 hours ago

With state on alert for wildfire danger, Mount Rainier to enact parkwide ban on all campfires