July 22, 2021 3:40 a.m.

Due to fire danger and limited firefighting resources across the western U.S., campfires are no longer allowed in state parks and in state-managed forests east of Interstate Five, even in designated campfire areas.

A release from the Oregon Department of Forestry said this includes charcoal fires, cooking fires, warming fires, charcoal briquettes, pellet grills, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames or embers. The release said portable cooking stoves or propane lanterns using liquified or bottle fuels are allowed, though propane pits are not.

The ban includes prohibitions on fires in designated fire rings. The public can also anticipate restrictions in other areas based on fire danger. Restrictions may increase as fire danger rises in other parts of Oregon, and will remain in place until conditions moderate.

The release said state agencies strongly encourage checking fire danger levels and associated restrictions in a given area before traveling and daily during a visit. Humans cause on average 70 percent of more of fires in Oregon, so these additional restrictions are intended to help reduce the number of human-caused fire starts. The release said this will allow firefighters to focus on the existing large fires as well as new blazes that may emerge.