Campfire and flame restrictions

The first step for building safer campfires is to build them only where they are allowed. This page provides a list of parks in alphabetical order with current seasonal fire bans. Fire bans help to keep you and other visitors safe during the busy fire season. If a park with a campground is not listed below, wood fires are allowed according to regular park rules.

A fire ban means no wood fires, charcoal, charcoal briquettes, pellet-fueled grills, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames or embers and cannot be turned off with a valve.

Portable cooking stoves, propane fire rings, barbecues, and lanterns using liquefied or bottle fuels are allowed unless noted below in parentheses. Devices using liquefied or bottle fuels are banned in the backcountry unless used for cooking.

Note: Fireworks are prohibited year-round on all Oregon beaches and Oregon State Parks property.

State parks with fire bans

• Deschutes River State Recreation Area
• Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Questions? Send an email to our Oregon State Parks Information Center or call 800 551-6949.

Three tips for safer campfires

1. Build them only where allowed. Check the list above to see if they’re permitted where you’re going or ask a park ranger. In some cases, even propane fire rings may not be allowed.
2. Build them safely. Only build campfires in the existing fire ring at your campsite, which are put in specific areas away from vegetation. If using a propane fire ring, keep it away from vegetation and overhanging branches. At the beach, only build campfires where permitted on open sand. Keep water close and keep flames below knee height, about two feet.
3. Put them out completely. Pour water over the flames and stir it into the embers to make sure everything is wet. Repeat this until you no long feel heat coming from the embers. Do not use sand to put out fires; it can insulate the coals and keep them hot for days.

What happens when a campground is in a wildfire evaluation area

Before you arrive, or during your stay, a campground may be affected by wildfire. Oregon follows a three-level evacuation notification system, each structured around the readiness need and how likely it is to be impacted by a wildfire.

• Level 1: Parks remain open. Oregon State Parks will notify people with upcoming reservations for parks in a Level 1 evacuation area. 
• Level 2: Parks are evacuated and closed to the public. Oregon State Parks will evacuate everyone in the park and cancel upcoming reservations.
• Level 3: Parks have already been evacuated and are closed to the public. Oregon State Parks will have cancelled upcoming reservations.

Resources

Websites

• Oregon Department of Forestry’s wildfire information website.
• Oregon State Fire Marshal’s wildfire prevention web page.
• Oregon Department of Emergency Management Oregon Wildfire Response and Recovery web page.
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality smoke advisories.
• Oregon Department of Transportation TripCheck website for road conditions.

Social media

For breaking news and information, follow the social media accounts for Oregon State Parks, Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Department of Transportation, and Oregon Department of Emergency Management.