Fire Ban Lifted For Oregon State Parks

While Oregon State Parks officials have lifted the ban on campfires in state parks, it may still be too soon to bust out the barbecue.

The ban was lifted Tuesday, Aug. 22, for open fires in state park campgrounds; but because many local and regional fire restrictions remain in place, and because those restrictions affect state parks within certain jurisdictions, campers and hopeful barbecuers are encouraged to check their local fire restriction status prior to firing up the grill.

Anyone planning a trip to a state park or the Oregon Coast through the rest of summer should check state park websites for current restriction information. Or click here for an interactive map revealing fire conditions in the state by county.

The previous restriction prohibited campfires, candles, charcoal briquettes, and tiki-style torches at all state parks. If the lifted ban allows for fires and remains unchallenged by local ordinances, the Oregon Parks & Recreation Department offers these tips for would-be fire starters:

• Campfires are allowed in designated fire rings only. All fires must be attended, and fully extinguished afterward.
• Keep water and a shovel, or a fire extinguisher, within reach of any campfire at all times.
• Watch children and pets during and after a campfire. Metal fire rings retain heat long after the fire is out.
• In state parks, smoking is allowed in designated campsites only, and butts must be fully extinguished and put in the trash.
• Fires on the coastal beaches must be made of natural materials only (no pallets or other assembled wood), kept 3-feet-by-3-feet or smaller, and placed more than 25-feet away and downwind from driftwood and grass. A full set of beach fire rules is online at http://bit.ly/oregonbeachfirerules.
• Remember fireworks are prohibited year-round in Oregon state parks and on beaches.

For offline information, call the state parks information line at 800-551-6949, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Information provided by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, with additional reporting by Travis Loose, Oregon Patch Editor

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