Use caution to prevent wildfires in Tri-Cities area. Campfires banned at E. Washington sites

The National Weather Service is recommending caution to prevent fires with dry and sometimes breezy weather forecast across the Mid-Columbia

The Tri-Cities area, along with the rest of the Mid-Columbia, was under a red flag fire warning from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, July 15.

While that has lifted, the weather services says any fire still will spread rapidly in dry grassy areas.

The weather service cautions against outdoor burning and not parking or idling a vehicle with a hot exhaust along dry grass. Be careful when using lawn mowers or gas-powered equipment, it said.

Relative humidity remains low in the Tri-Cities and wind gusts as high as 18-20 mph are forecast Sunday night and Monday.

Highs should cool through Monday, with highs of 89 to 90 forecast for Sunday and Monday.

But then hotter temperatures will return. A high of 97 is forecast for Tuesday and a high of 98 for Wednesday.

Fish and Wildlife fire restrictions

New fire restrictions have been announced for Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife land in Eastern Washington.

Usually campfires and other activities are restricted starting July 1. But this year the emergency rules were delayed until Friday July 15.

“Due to the wet and cool start to the summer, we delayed restrictions this year beyond July 1, allowing people longer opportunity to enjoy campfires,” said Cynthia Wilkerson, lands division manager for the agency.

But this past week wildfire risk increased, she said.

Fires and campfires are not allowed, not even in in fire rings. However, personal camp stoves and lanterns fueled by propane, liquid petroleum, or liquid petroleum gas are allowed.

Target shooting with firearms is prohibited and chainsaws may not be used. Smoking can only be done in an enclosed vehicle.

Cars and trucks can be driven only on developed roads and parking is allowed only in designated parking areas and in areas without vegetation withing 10 feet of roadways.

Wildlife refuge fire restrictions

Fire restrictions already were ordered starting June 28 on eight national wildlife refuges managed from the Burbank office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Included in the order are the Hanford Reach National Monument and Columbia, Cold Springs, Conboy Lake, McKay Creek, McNary, Toppenish and Umatilla National Wildlife Refuges.

Use of any fire, including the use of charcoal briquettes and cooking stoves, is prohibited. Also banned are smoking outside of an enclosed vehicle and operation of any motor without an approved and working spark arrester.

Drivers are urged to be careful when parking along roadsides with tall grass.

Fireworks and campfires are banned year-round.

Due to the wet spring, there is an unusually large buildup of grass and other vegetation, which is setting the stage for a hazardous summer for wildfires.

“With the increase in vegetation, this fire season has the potential for larger, more devastating wildfires that are difficult to fight,” said John Janak, Fish and Wildlife fire management officer.

The fire restrictions on national wildlife refuges lift at midnight Sept. 30. No end date has been set for lifting restrictions on state Fish and Wildlife land in Eastern Washington.

Campfires are allowed in the Umatilla National Forest. For current regulations, call the message line at 877-958-9663.

This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Use caution to prevent wildfires in Tri-Cities area. Campfires banned at E. Washington sites."