ELKINS, W.Va. — The Monongahela National Forest has issued a forest-wide fire restriction as dry conditions persist in the Mountain State.
With Tuesday’s restriction, burning, maintaining, attending, or using a campfire on National Forest land and property is prohibited, effective immediately.
The only exceptions to the restriction are individuals or groups camped in the Forest Service developed campgrounds with a fire in a specific Forest Service provided fire ring. Those areas include:
- Bear Haven Campground
- Big Rock Campground
- Bishop Knob Campground
- Blue Bend Campground and Small Pavilion
- Cranberry Campground
- Day Run Campground
- Gatewood Campground
- Hopkins Mountain Fireman’s Cabin
- Island Campground
- Laurel Fork Campground
- Middle Mountain Cabins
- Pocahontas Campground
- Red Creek Campground
- Summit Lake Campground
- Tea Creek Campground
- Williams River Campsites
Due to drought conditions that date back to the summer and low ground fuel moisture content, suppressing any fire is difficult.
The state of West Virginia is currently under a statewide burning ban.