Campfires banned at three Columbia Gorge state parks

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is prohibiting all campfires, open flames and propane fire rings at Ainsworth, Memaloose and Viento state parks in the Columbia River Gorge, effective 8 a.m. Wednesday.

The ban applies to all areas in those parks and will be in effect until further notice from OPRD.

Clay Courtright, Columbia River Gorge state parks manager, said the ban is precautionary. Recent high temperatures and strong winds in the gorge have elevated the danger of accidental, human-caused wildfires.

Ban details:

The ban applies to wood, charcoal, wood pellets and all other flame sources that cannot be extinguished immediately. Propane fire rings are prohibited too, including smaller propane rings that may fit inside or on top of existing campground fire rings. Other valve-operated flame sources, such as liquid fuel cooking devices, are allowed under the ban, but cannot be left unattended. Smoking is allowed under the ban, but still subject to existing rules about smoking in Oregon State Parks.

OPRD does not have an estimate for when the ban will be lifted. The agency will continue to evaluate conditions based on weather, available resources and information from state and local fire officials.

Stay up-to-date with the latest state park fire restrictions on the official webpage: bit.ly/2uLzdwY