BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The bans on outdoor burning in unincorporated Whatcom County and the North Cascades have been lifted.

The Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office made the announcement Friday, citing an increase in fuel moisture levels and cooler temperatures with rainfall forecast for the area.

The Stage 1 burn ban ended at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 after being in effect since July 1.

The burn lift does not apply to properties within Whatcom Fire District 5 in Point Roberts, Fire District 11 on Lummi Island or Fire District 17 near Sandy Point. Residents in those areas should contact their local fire district to find out if outdoor burning restrictions have been lifted.

A permanent ban on open burning remains in effect for all cities within Whatcom County.

In addition, the burn ban in the North Cascades National Park is going to be lifted as the fires in the park peter out.

Park representatives say the ban was lifted on Friday, Sept. 13 for all lands in the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. That includes all national park lands, plus the campgrounds in Stehekin and Ross Lake Area and along State Route 20.

Parks service wants to remind people that campfires are only allowed in designated area in both the back and front country campsites. They say to keep fires small to minimize the spread of embers and that the fire must be fully extinguished. If the extinguished campfire is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.

All lands managed or under the jurisdiction of Washington Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) in both Whatcom and Skagit Counties are still under their burn ban through Sept. 30. That includes state parks and forests as well as forested private land that is protected by the DNR.

Fires are still burning in the national park, even if they are no longer spreading. Everyone is also still being asked to use extreme caution when lighting fires, as vegetation is still recovering from the extended stretch of dry weather.