The National Weather Service issued Wednesday a red flag warning for the majority of Western Washington for Thursday and Friday.
The red flag warning — indicating severe fire danger — will be in effect from 6 a.m. Thursday through 5 p.m. Friday on the western and eastern slopes of the Olympic Mountains because of strong wind and low humidity.
Strong winds, including gusts of 25-40 mph, are expected in Western Washington, while humidity is expected to fall to 30 percent Thursday and Friday.
The warning area includes lowland areas around Forks, Beaver, Neah Bay and Crescent Bay; around Lake Crescent; the Olympic Mountains east of the Elwha River Valley — including Hurricane Ridge — and the eastern slope of the Olympic Mountains to the East Jefferson communities of Port Ludlow, Quilcene and Brinnon.
Central and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca communities of Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend and Chimacum, and the western slope of the Olympic Mountains, are not included in the alert.
Clallam County is under a burn ban that prohibits open fires except in approved campgrounds.
Cooking on gas grills and other enclosed barbecues is permitted.
Jefferson County
In Jefferson County, recreational fires are allowed only in fire rings with a size of no more than 2 feet in diameter. The burning of yard waste is prohibited.
In Olympic National Forest, recreational fires are permitted in approved fire pits on lands below 3,500 feet elevation.
The red flag warning also includes the Puget Sound lowlands, including Silverdale, Hoquiam, Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, Enumclaw, Stampede Pass and the Chehalis Gap to the south.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
