This press release came in late yesterday. Olympic National Park officials last weekend re-opened about 30 miles of trails on the east side of the park that had been closed because of nearby wildfires.

The following trails have been re-opened for public use due to low potential for fires in the upper Dose Drainage.

-- The Constance Pass Trail from the Dosewallips Trail to the park boundary.

-- The Main Fork Dosewallips Trail from the junction of Gray Wolf Pass to the Dose Forks and

-- The West Fork Dosewallips Trail from Honeymoon Meadows to Dose Forks.

Two trails are still closed due to fire related hazards and are likely to
remain closed for several weeks or longer.

-- The Duckabush Trail is closed from LaCrosse Pass junction to the park boundary because of its proximity to the 750 acre Ten Mile Fire.

-- Hiker use of the Dosewallips Road is closed from the Olympic National Forest's Elkhorn Campground to the Dosewallips Trail at Dose Forks, one mile west of the Dosewallips Ranger Station. The 440 acre Constance Fire is burning nearby in steep terrain; burning logs and debris are rolling downslope onto the road/trail.

Additionally, the backcountry campfire ban put in place Aug. 3 will be lifted on Wednesday at 11 p.m. Fire danger conditions have abated thanks to recent rains and the forecast calls for cooler, moist conditions. Campfires in the park’s established front country campgrounds are allowed as usual in established fire grates; where campfires are allowed on the coast, they must be located below the high tide line. Campers still need to ensure that their campfires are out before leaving the campsite.

The Heatwave Complex is comprised of 12 lighting-ignited fires
discovered in Olympic National Park since June, five of which remain
active, creating a mosaic of burned and unburned vegetation across the
landscape. Naturally caused wildfires have occurred in the Olympic
Peninsula for thousands of years, and are an integral part of the area’s
ecosystem. Evidence of past wildland fire is found throughout the park in
fire scars on trees and the mosaic of forest patterns.

Click here for additional Heatwave Complex fire information, maps, and photos.

The staff at Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest announced today a ban on open campfires and restricts smoking beginning tomorrow.

Here is the rest of the release:  

“We need to take precautions for public safety,” said Forest Supervisor Rob Iwamoto. “These steps are based on weather projections and conditions on the ground.”  Fuel moisture has been at historic lows and the National Weather Service predicts more hot and dry conditions ahead.

Wood and charcoal fires are only allowed in developed campgrounds that have established concrete or steel-grated fire pits or rings.  Campers can use portable stoves or lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel sources for cooking or heat outside of designated campgrounds. Smoking is allowed within enclosed vehicles, buildings and developed recreation sites. Violators can be fined up to $5,000 and/ or imprisoned up to six months in jail.  

Click here for a list of campgrounds where fires are permitted.

Because of similar conditions in other areas of Washington, visitors are encouraged to check with state or local fire protection agencies to determine other campfire restrictions.

Click here for information about fires on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center provides general fire information.

Report fires to the Washington wildland fire hotline at 1-800-562-6010.

Jeff and I teamed up to write a story about our favorite food stops after a day in the outdoors.

No fine dining here. Just fine burgers, fries, shakes and cherry pie a la mode (Twede's famous pie pictured to the right).

Check it out and see if your favorite was included. If not let us know about your favorite. We'd love to check it out.

(Picture by Drew Perine)

Backpacker Magazine just announced its Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid.

Seattle made the list - coming in at No. 6 - even though it's still easier to get to Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains from Tacoma.

We're not bitter.

Boulder, Colo., was No. 1 on the list. Hood River, Ore., is No. 13.

According to an article in The Olympian Friday's brush fire in Capitol Forest was arson:

BY MATT BATCHELDOR
The Olympian

A wildfire that started Friday in Capitol State Forest was the result of arson, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Natural Resources said Saturday.

Koshare Lomnicki, a public-information officer for the department, said the agency found evidence of “an incendiary device” near a pile of brush. She didn’t characterize what the device was but said there were not multiple fireworks at the scene.

She said the fire had grown to a dozen acres by Friday night, but firefighters had contained it by creating a perimeter around it.

=> Read more!

Thurston County fire department personal responded to an ongoing brush fire in Capitol Forest according to the county dispatcher.

Fire fighters are currently handing over the incident to the Department of Natural Resources. Capitol Forest is a popular destination for campers, hikers, mountain bikers, horsemen, ATV riders and other trail users in Thurston County. The forest is controlled by DNR.

Unusually dry conditions have increased fire danger on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, according to a release just sent out.

The risk is much higher now than is typical for this time of the year, and with the July 4th weekend approaching, forest officials are asking people to be careful with fire on the forest.

They also are reminding visitors that fireworks are prohibited on national forest lands.

From Mount Rainier National Park:

Mount Rainier National Park Acting Superintendent Randy King announces that repair of the Nisqually Road at MP 12.3 (Glacier Hill) and Stevens Canyon Road at MP 14.1 (east of Backbone Ridge Viewpoint), damaged during the January 2009 flood, will soon begin.

The award for the repair contract was made by Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) to Randolph Construction Services, Inc. of Pasco, WA for $965,407. The Notice to Proceed is tentatively scheduled to be issued on June 15 with a completion date of July 31, 2009. During the construction period Stevens Canyon Road will be open to the public from the Stevens Canyon Wye to Box Canyon from the west and to the Grove of the Patriarchs from the east. Through traffic on Stevens Canyon will not be allowed until the road is repaired.

=> Read more!

Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest will receive $5.6 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to repair and upgrade roads, bridges and other drainage.

Evans Creek ORV Area Roads are among those on the list to repair.

Click here to read a lost of all the $228 million worth of projects around the country including several more in Washington.

I've been seeing tidbits here and there in other media stories about how more people are planning to stay closer to home this summer because of the economy.

One option people are mentioning is going camping more this summer.

Are you planning to camp more often this summer?

If you are, send me an e-mail. I'd like to talk to folks who are planning to spend their vacations closer to home by pitching a tent at places like Mount Rainier or Kalaloch or Dry Falls.

You can reach me at jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com.

Visitors to any of the national forests around the South Sound will be able to visit day-use fee sites for free on Saturday.

Saturday is National Trails Day, and the U.S. Forest Service is waiving fees at such sites across its Pacific Northwest region.

The sites normally require a $5 fee per vehicle or a recreation pass, such as the Northwest Forest Pass, Interagency Annual Pass, Interagency Senior Pass, Interagency Access Pass, Golden Age or Golden Access Passport.

Fees to enter Johnston Ridge Observatory at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument will NOT be waived on Saturday.

Saturday is the 17th annual celebration of National Trails Day. South Sound residents can join the celebration by taking a hike or by participating in a planned volunteer event.

For more information and to find an event near you.

Work on a temporary bridge over Benham Creek on Forest Road 25, south of Randle means the road is closed just south of Iron Creek during the construction. Gifford Pinchot National Forest visitors should be prepared to encounter dump truck traffic on Forest Roads 76, 28 and 23.

Here is the rest of the news release:

The temporary bridge should be in place and open to traffic by late-June. This will allow for access to the east side of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and the popular Windy Ridge view point.

“While the flooding in the fall of 2008 wasn’t as widespread as the
previous two years, Forest Road 25 and Forest Road 54 took the brunt of the damage,” said Ron Freeman, Public Services Staff Officer for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. “We truly appreciate the work Federal Highways Administration is doing to help us reopen Forest Road 25 and other key Forest roads.”

Visitors to the Cispus Learning Center should be alert to heavy truck traffic that will be hauling material in the vicinity of the Center. Hauling will occur Monday thru Thursday during daylight hours.

Material is being hauled from the Benham Creek slide to a disposal site to an area located on Forest Road 2300100.

The Forest has started work with Federal Highways on design and replacement of the bridge over Benham Creek. Completion of the permanent bridge is scheduled for 2010.

During the past winter several Forest roads, including roads 21, 25 and 54, experienced landslides and storm damage.

Click here for updates on weather and road conditions.

For current Forest road information, please contact Gifford Pinchot
National Forest offices. The Forest Headquarters in Vancouver can be
reached at 360-891-5000; Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Headquarters in Amboy can be reached at 360-449-7800, and Mount Adams Ranger District in Trout Lake can be reached at 509-395-3400.