Yosemite Campfires Okayed

Yosemite National Park, CA – The recent rain and cooler temperatures have reduced fire dangers allowing Yosemite National Park’s Superintendent to lift fire bans. 

The Stage I fire restrictions were put in place July 15 of this year largely due to the drought conditions.  Lifting the fire restrictions means campfires are once again allowed in the Yosemite Wilderness below 6,000 feet in elevation.

Park Fire Spokesperson Gary Wuchner says, even with the inch and a half of rain that the lower elevations received, the ground is still dry.  Wuchner says one lingering concern is visitors smoking, “We really haven’t declared fire season over yet.  Smoking is still dangerous.  It can still cause a fire so that is a concern.  We’d like to see some more rain, but we felt for campfires and for people to enjoy that experience we could rescind the order at this time.”

Here are the Park’s rules regarding the lifting of the fire restrictions:

• Overnight wilderness users are responsible for knowing the fire regulations where they travel.  Check with the Wilderness Office about your destination.  Fires are prohibited in some areas of the wilderness due to scarcity of wood and resource concerns.
• Use existing campfire rings (do not build new rings), extinguish fires before leaving camp by adding water and stirring the ashes.
• Campfires and cooking fires may be used in designated campgrounds in developed portions of the park in accordance with park regulations.
• Designated Campgrounds: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Bridalveil Creek, Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat and Tuolumne Meadows.
• Cooking fires may be used in designated picnic areas in developed portions of the park in accordance with park regulations.
• Designated Picnic Areas: Lembert Dome, Tenaya Lake, Yosemite Creek, Wawona, Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, Cascade, El Capitan, Cathedral Beach, Sentinel Beach, Swinging Bridge, Church Bowl, and Lower Yosemite Falls.
• Gather only dead and down wood; do not cut limbs from trees.
• Extinguish cigarettes and properly dispose of the filter.