Submitted by National Park Service
Due to significant and widespread rain with resulting decrease in fire danger, Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest have lifted all fire restrictions as of September 18, 2017. The restrictions included a ban on campfires outside of developed campgrounds. Fire restrictions are typically lifted when a significant amount of precipitation is recorded in local weather stations and the fire danger has decreased dramatically. Rainfall amounts since September 17 on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula are over an inch with amounts of 0.20 inches or more the east side of the peninsula. Periods of rain is expected throughout the week with snow levels dropping to 5000 feet as well.
Fire restrictions were implemented on September 1 this year. This was unusual for the Olympic Peninsula, but was necessary due to warm, dry summer and moderate drought conditions across the Forest and Park. Additional fire restrictions and area closures were implemented in other land management agencies throughout the Olympic Peninsula.
Olympic National Park information can be found at http://www.nps.gov/olym/
Olympic National Forest information can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/olympic/alerts-notices/ and state and county area burn bans are listed at www.waburnbans.net
