On Monday, campfires were prohibited everywhere on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest until further notice, according to Wallowa-Whitman National Forest information office in Baker City.

Areas affected include the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in Oregon and the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The closure is in addition to the current restrictions that affect smoking, motorized travel, and use of internal combustion engines, including chain saws and generators.

Matt Reidy, forest fire management officer, said the closure was necessary due to increasing fire severity and to reduce the risk of human-caused fires.

These restrictions prohibit building, maintaining, tending or using a fire, campfire, and wood stove and charcoal-briquette fires. Liquified and bottled gas stoves and heaters may be used for cooking and heating in a safe area that is clear of vegetation.

Within the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in Idaho, only campfires are prohibited.

Public fire use restrictions in the Snake River corridor, within the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, remain consistent with information printed on river permits.

Reidy said these restrictions will remain in effect until fuel moisture and weather conditions reduce the risk of wildfire.

The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) changed to Level IV in the Wallowa IFPL Unit on Saturday; the Emily and Whitman IFPL Units remain at level IV. IFPL restrictions apply to industrial operations. At IFPL level IV, all operations are prohibited.

For more information on restrictions can be had by calling the Forest Service office in Enterprise at 426-4978, or see the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest web site at (www.fs.fed.us/r6/w-w).

For fire restriction information on state and private lands, contact Oregon Department of Forestry in Wallowa at 886-2881.