Sequim Gazette staff
 
The Olympic and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests are enforcing the following fire restrictions:

• Smoking – smoking is prohibited outdoors. Smoking is allowed inside personal vehicles, buildings or developed recreation sites and areas cleared and barren at least three feet in diameter.

 

• Campfires – campfires, including wood and charcoal fires, are prohibited except in developed campgrounds or picnic sites in established concrete or steel fire pits.  Gas grills are also permitted in these areas. Portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed in undeveloped camping areas.

 

Dry fuel conditions combined with weather forecasts for warm, dry and unstable conditions through the weekend prompted the restrictions, according to Tony Engel, fire management officer for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

 

“We expect unseasonably warm and dry conditions through the weekend,” Engel said.

 

For more information go to www.fs.usda.gov/olympic or www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mbs/fireindices.

 

A National Weather Service message details what experts call “a critically dry and unstable air mass over mountain zones” through midnight Wednesday, Sept. 7. Affected areas include Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest.