OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — An illegal campfire near the Olympic Hot Springs was quickly extinguished by passing hikers and park firefighters.
At about 6 p.m. Monday, firefighters were told of an illegal campfire in the Olympic Hot Springs area, said Todd Rankin, Olympic National Park’s fire management officer.
The fire had been made in a fire ring of stones constructed off the trail. Campfires can be legally made only in approved fire rings in campgrounds.
The fire had burned into the duff under the ring and was burning outward from the ring, Rankin said.
“It had a lot of potential to become much bigger,” he said.
He said there was no indication of who started the fire.
Ty Crowe, a fire operations specialist at the park, said passing hikers discovered the fire near the trail.
They called 9-1-1 dispatchers to report it and formed a bucket brigade to pour water on it.
They had the fire almost under control when park firefighters arrived to finish extinguishing the blaze, Crowe said.
On June 25, the park instituted a ban on all open fires except those in approved fire rings in park campgrounds.
The penalty for violating the burn ban in a national park is a citation and up to six months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.
If the violation leads to a major fire, the person who set the original fire could be liable for the cost of the entire firefighting effort, Crowe said.
If anyone is injured or killed by the fire or because of it, the person who started the illegal fire could be charged for that injury or death, he said.
Crowe said the conditions are hotter and drier than is usual in June — and less forgiving.
He urged extreme caution and strict observance of burn bans in the park, Olympic National Forest and counties and cities on the North Olympic Peninsula.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.