Using or possessing fireworks of any kind is illegal on all private, state and national forests throughout the year due to fire danger.
The state Department of Natural Resources says it gets an average of 90 calls reporting new fires around the Fourth of July — many of them caused by fireworks.
“We want everyone to enjoy the long weekend in Washington’s state forests and public lands,” said Doug Sutherland, commissioner of public lands.
“But we want the firefighters to have that opportunity, too, so we ask everyone to be careful this weekend and for the rest of the summer.
“After Friday’s fireworks celebrations are over, Washington’s grass and forestlands will still be dry — and very vulnerable to fires caused by both people and lighting.”
Forest users are also advised to use extreme care with campfires and to make sure all embers are completely out and cold to the touch before leaving a campsite.
Additionally, discarded cigarettes also cause fires, so forest users are asked to smoke only inside vehicles and to use the vehicle’s ashtray when disposing of stubs.