DNR reopens public lands east of the Cascades following wildfire closures
There hasn’t been much to celebrate in and around the state of Washington in recent weeks, yet there is a small sense of hope and normalcy returning.
On Friday, the Washington state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reopened all recreational lands east of the Cascades. They’ve been closed since the Sept. 8 wildfires ravaged parts of the state. Although the lands have been reopened, burn bans and shooting bans remain in place.
“We are optimistic the weather will continue to cooperate, allowing us to reopen east side recreation areas closed due to extreme wildfire danger and the risk to the public as they enter those lands through wildfire-impacted roads and towns,” Hillary Franz, the Commissioner of Public Lands, said in a statement.
“I urge everyone to continue to follow all safety regulations, the statewide burn ban and target shooting ban, keeping in mind it only takes one spark to start a devastating wildfire.”
There are other precautions and rules people using recreational lands will have to adhere to, including:
Extinguishing campfires completely so they are cold to the touch.
Avoiding parking on dry grass.
Always checking chains when towing.
A ban on incendiary devices of any kind while recreating on forest lands.
“It is critically important all our visitors follow those guidelines so we can continue to keep our landscapes, our communities and our forests safe.” Leah Dobey, DNR’s statewide recreational manager said in a statement.
For more information, log on to dnr.wa.gov/go.
This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 2:57 PM.
