News brief: Outdoor fire danger alert

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A red flag warning has been issued for fire weather because of expected lightening tonight through mid-morning on Sunday.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop in the Cascades possibly spreading west into the Southwest Interior Lowlands, according to the National Weather Service.

With the increasingly dry weather, outdoor burning restrictions have been put into place in Lewis County and other areas.

Last week, the state Department of Natural Resources decided to ban campfires on all forestland and other property it protects. Yesterday, additional restrictions were implemented on lands managed by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Those are places such as the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery, the Swofford Pond area and the east end of Riffe Lake.

In those wildlife sensitive areas, smoking is now restricted to inside enclosed vehicles and target shooting is now prohibited except at WDFD shooting ranges, according to the state agency.

Also prohibited is operating a motor vehicle off developed roads, according to spokesperson Craig Bartlett.

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For background, read “News brief: Beware of seemingly innocent activities with high fire danger” from Saturday August 3, 2013, here

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