Sequoia and Kings Canyon national park officials hope to avoid a repeat this summer of this scene/NPS file

Park-wide campfire and smoking bans take effect Thursday at Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks in California due to extreme fire danger.

The parks are struggling with record-setting temperatures, drought, and strained firefighting resources both regionally and nationally. As a result, National Park Service officials are increasing fire restrictions in the two parks to Stage 3 – their highest level.

Effective at noon local time on Thursday, the parks will enact a parks-wide campfire and smoking ban. This includes all campgrounds, picnic and day-use areas, and wilderness locations inside the parks. There are no exceptions to this change.

“This ban on all campfires in our front-country and wilderness areas is designed to reduce our risk from unwanted human-caused fires during the hottest and driest part of the year,” said Chief John Ziegler, the parks’ fire management officer. “We must all do more than before to be extra safe and cautious this year.”

The increased fire restrictions can be summed up to be:

• Wood and charcoal fires (including wood-burning stoves) are illegal at all elevations and locations.
  • Employee housing and private property throughout the parks are included.
• Gas, propane, alcohol (with and without a shutoff valve), and tablet/cube stoves are permitted in all areas.
• No smoking at any elevation except within an enclosed vehicle, a building in which smoking is allowed, or in a designated smoking area.

These restrictions will remain in effect until conditions in the area have progressed to a point where minimal public hazard remains, as determined by the parks’ superintendent.

Also, firefighters and park rangers want to remind the public that fireworks of any kind are strictly illegal in all national parks year-round. Please do not even bring them into the parks during this critical time.

For information on the other fire restriction stage levels, visit this site.