PORT ANGELES — Campfires are now prohibited at the Klahanie and Seal Rock campgrounds in Olympic National Forest.
The additional restrictions are prompted by dry conditions and the fact that wildfires continue to tap firefighting resources, Olympic National Forest officials said.
Campfires continue to be prohibited in dispersed backcountry sites in the national forest and at Lena Lake, Elkhorn, Campbell Tree Grove and Littleton Horse Camp campgrounds.
The Klahanie Campground is an unstaffed site east of Forks. It is a semi-remote campground with no cellphone coverage.
A fire that started in the area could spread quickly, officials said.
The Seal Rock Campground is on the east side of the Peninsula south of Quilcene.
It is accessible from U.S. Highway 101, but emergency response could be too late if a fire start is driven by winds from the Hood Canal, officials said.
Where not prohibited, campfires are allowed only in Forest Service-installed metal fire rings within Forest Service campgrounds.
Campfires must be kept inside the metal ring with flames no more than 12 inches above the rim of the fire ring.
Fire restrictions will remain in place in Olympic National Forest until there has been substantial and prolonged moisture, officials said.
A Clallam County burn ban was upgraded Aug. 20 to include a prohibition against campfires in all campgrounds within the unincorporated area.
Comprehensive burn bans also have been established in Jefferson County, in all North Olympic Peninsula cities and on land managed by the state Department of Natural Resources and Olympic National Park.
The cities of Forks, Port Angeles, Sequim and Port Townsend have banned fires within city limits, prohibiting the burning of trash, yard debris and all recreational fires, including barbecues using charcoal briquettes, pellet-fed smokers or in backyard fire rings.
