USFS ranger districts
Up-to-date fire danger ratings for national forests
Interactive version
Explore fire danger on the interactive map
Use the map-first view to search places, select ranger districts, and compare current ratings across supported public lands.
Cowlitz Valley Ranger District Fire Danger & Restrictions
ClosureSafety brief
Updated
Very high fire danger today.
Fire danger is very high in the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District. The BACKBONE fire is 17 acres and 90% contained, though it is still growing. All campfires are prohibited in backcountry areas and developed campgrounds. Explosives, welding, and grinding with open flame torches are also prohibited. Check specific road and trail closures related to the BACKBONE and Skyo fires before your trip.
Restrictions
Campfires and Stoves
Equipment and Work
Shooting and Closures
Backcountry campfiresProhibited
All campfires prohibited in backcountry areas.
Exceptions
- Cook stove fueled solely by gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel/propane with on/off switch and 3-feet clearance of flammable vegetation
Campground campfiresProhibited
All campfires prohibited in developed campgrounds and recreation sites.
Exceptions
- Cook stove fueled solely by gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel/propane with on/off switch and 3-feet clearance of flammable vegetation
Propane fuel and camp stovesRestricted
Propane and pressurized fuel stoves allowed with on/off switch and 3-feet vegetation clearance.
Conditions
- On/off switch required
- Flammable vegetation cleared minimum 3-feet away from open flame on all sides
Welding and grindingProhibited
Acetylene and open flame torches prohibited.
ExplosivesProhibited
All explosives prohibited.
Forest closures and access limitsProhibited
Backbone Fire closure area, specific roads, and trails closed to all occupancy and travel.
Conditions
- Closure area bounded by State HWY 123, Ohanapecosh River, Muddy Fork Cowlitz River, and NFS boundary
- NFS lands west of Muddy Fork Cowlitz River, east of Butter Creek, south of Tatoosh Wilderness boundary closed
- Specific NFS roads closed: 5290, 5290082, 1270 (from US 12 to north terminus), 1270016, 1270019, 1270020, 1270024, 1270032, 1270047, 1270405, 4900035, 4900405
- Trails closed: #164 Backbone, #164A Backbone Lake, #162 River View
- Closure effective July 31, 2026 through December 31, 2026
Exceptions
- Federal, State, or local officers in official duty
- Organized rescue or firefighting personnel in official duty
- Persons with FS-7700-48 permit exempting them from order
- Persons evacuating
- Federal, State, or local officers and organized rescue/firefighting personnel in official duty
- Persons with FS-7700-48 permit
- Persons traveling for evacuation
Restrictions last checked
Near-surface wildfire smoke forecast
Estimated AQI*
5max avg 0.9 µg/m³ around 8 AM
Good wildfire smoke
Forecast updated Sep 9, 2026, 6:59 PM
* Estimated AQI is an equivalent interpretation of forecast wildfire-smoke PM2.5 only; it is not an observed or official AQI reading.
| Local time | District average | p10 | p90 | Estimated AQI* | Smoke category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 9, 7:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 9, 8:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 9, 9:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 9, 10:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 9, 11:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 12:00 AM | 0.1 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0.2 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈1 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 1:00 AM | 0.3 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 1.4 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈2 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 2:00 AM | 0.6 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 2.5 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈3 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 3:00 AM | 0.7 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 3 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈4 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 4:00 AM | 0.6 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 2.5 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈3 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 5:00 AM | 0.6 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 1.7 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈3 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 6:00 AM | 0.7 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | 1.7 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈4 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 7:00 AM | 0.9 µg/m³ | 0.2 µg/m³ | 1.8 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈5 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 8:00 AM | 0.9 µg/m³ | 0.2 µg/m³ | 1.6 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈5 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 9:00 AM | 0.7 µg/m³ | 0.2 µg/m³ | 1.2 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈4 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 10:00 AM | 0.4 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | 0.7 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈2 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 11:00 AM | 0.2 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | 0.4 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈1 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 12:00 PM | 0.1 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0.2 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈1 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 1:00 PM | 0.1 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈1 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 2:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0.1 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 3:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 4:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 5:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
| Sep 10, 6:00 PM | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | 0 µg/m³ | Estimated AQI* ≈0 | Good wildfire smoke |
* Estimated AQI is an equivalent interpretation of forecast wildfire-smoke PM2.5 only; it is not an observed or official AQI reading. HRRR forecasts near-ground smoke; district values are area-weighted, conditions vary by location, and other pollution sources are not included.
Check current observed air quality on AirNow (opens in a new tab)Recent changes
30-day fire danger history
Last 30 days
Stable at Very High since Aug 11.
Ratings and restrictions are collected from official source pages and may lag agency updates. Always confirm current fire restrictions, closures, evacuation notices, and emergency guidance with the responsible agency before starting a trip.
Provide feedback
Spot data that looks off, or have an idea that would make the map handier? Send it over — tiny trail notes welcome.
Help keep the lights on
Become an early supporter of Wildfire Danger. Any help is appreciated and goes straight to development, hosting, and upkeep of the site.
Donate with Stripe