State closes Eastern Washington land to camping. Corps parks still open

All Eastern Washington wildlife areas managed by the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife will be closed at night starting Friday in response to the high fire risk and worsening drought.

That includes water access areas within wildlife areas, according to the state.

Nighttime closures include the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area in Franklin, Benton and Yakima counties and the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area in Grant and Adams counties;

Day use will be allowed,

Previously, the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area in Columbia and Garfield counties was closed because of the Lick Creek Fire in Asotin County.

The closures cover about 700,000 acres of public land in Eastern Washington. State officials will meet weekly to assess the possibility of further closures or reopenings.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is worried not only about the risk of fires but also that firefighting resources are stretched thin across the nation.

Department of Natural Resources recreation lands East of the Cascade Mountains also will be closed to the public starting Friday.

“This summer is smashing all our records and leaving the state bone dry, leaving Eastern Washington to face an ongoing, tremendous risk of wildfire,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz.

Closing land to the public was a decision not made lightly, “but with the drought leaving the region as dry as ever we must do all that we can to prevent human-caused fires,” she said.

However, the Army Corps of Engineers has not closed its recreation areas on the lower Snake River and Columbia River downstream to McNary Dam to public use. Its parks include Hood and Fishhook.

The Corps announced Wednesday that it was banning open flames, including charcoal, but would allow propane cooking stoves if they have five feet clear of flammable material in all directions.

The Umatilla National Forest already is closed to public use, with the U.S. Forest Service saying Friday that the closure was for the safety of both firefighters and the public as large fires burn in the Walla Walla and the Pomeroy ranger districts.

The closure, which includes 20 campgrounds, is expected to last for several weeks.

Violators can face up to a $5,000 fine and prison time, and organizations can be fined up to $10,000.

Washington state Fish and Wildlife reminds day visitors that fires and campfires remain prohibited, along with smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle. Target shooting is banned.

Cars may only be driven on developed roads and parking is allowed only in designated parking areas or in vegetation-free areas within 10 feet of roads.

Enforcement officers will have zero-tolerance for violations, according to Washington state Fish and Wildlife.

This story was originally published July 21, 2021 at 5:00 AM.