If you’re heading out into the woods this Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Forest Service urges you to plan ahead.
While national forests in California are closed to the public due to extreme fire conditions, most Pacific Northwest forests remain all or partially open. There are some closures due to active or recent wildfires.
Steven Beri, a spokesperson for Umpqua National Forest, said it’s always a good idea to check the Forest Service website for specific details. And he said even in forest land that’s open, the air quality could be much worse than where you live.
“We’re still in a very active fire year. Fire danger is extremely high," said Beri. "Individuals can expect smoky conditions. They should check smoke reports to make sure that where they’re going, the air quality will be conducive to the activities that they want to do.”
Beri said the holiday weekend is typically busy, and he encourages adventure-seekers to have a back-up option if their favorite spot is crowded or closed.
“The thing we really want to advocate for people is that they do their homework and know before they go, so that they can make the best informed decisions on what they want to do, so that they are not caught unprepared and in situations that are very uncomfortable," he said.
Due to the dry conditions, most forests in the Northwest have a ban on campfires. That’s also true for most state parks in Oregon.