Vancouver, Sept. 16, 2021—Due to increased moisture and cooling temperatures, Forest Service fire officials recommended the elimination of public use restrictions on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest on Thursday. As a result, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, September 17, fire danger levels across the forest will be lowered from extreme to high, and campfires, as well as target shooting, will be allowed once again.
Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPL) across the Forest recently moved to an IFPL 2: Partial Hootowl. During an IFPL 2, personal firewood cutting may resume; however, chainsaw use is not allowed from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and must be followed by a one-hour fire watch after equipment is shut down.
Fire officials would like to remind people to continue being diligent with possible ignition sources. Vegetation remains dry and is susceptible to sparks. Human-caused wildfire starts can exhaust local firefighting resources as many firefighters remain engaged in fighting fires across the west.
Remember to have plenty of water and a shovel on-hand when maintaining a campfire. Make sure your campfire is cold to the touch before you leave it unattended. Remember: If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.
Using explosive target material, such as Tannerite, explosives, and fireworks are always prohibited on all National Forests. Learn more about target shooting restrictions and safety: https://go.usa.gov/xMBEA.
For current wildland fire information, the public can visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/giffordpinchot/fire.
