Officials are putting a burn ban into effect starting Friday for northwest Washington because of continued hot, dry weather and extreme fire danger.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources says the ban applies to all outdoor burning including recreation fires on state forests, state parks and forestlands under DNR fire protection within Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island and San Juan counties.
Officials at North Cascades National Park also have banned campfires and the ignition of wood, briquettes or any fuel in fire pits, fire pans and barbeque grills in the national park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.