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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Outdoors blog

Hunters, hikers must be flexible during wild wildfire season

Firefighters working the fire above the Little Spokane River in the second week of July 2015 used hiking trails to their advantage for access and as fire lines when possible. (Rich Landers)
Firefighters working the fire above the Little Spokane River in the second week of July 2015 used hiking trails to their advantage for access and as fire lines when possible. (Rich Landers)

UPDATED 3:20 p.m. with news of Porcupine Bay closure.

WILDFIRES -- Check ahead and be careful when selecting a place to hunt, hike or boat in the next few weeks.

I provide key links to agency wildfire updates that include information about some of the vast land closures in today's Outdoors story:

Each agency also has specific information, such as this list of closures from the Colville National Forest:

While access closures are restricting where hunters can go as season open this month, state agencies won't be delaying hunting season dates.

Meanwhile, wildlife is being impacted by fires, too, but wildlife managers are mostly worried about the impacts today's fires will have on wildlife survival this winter:

See a map of Inland Northwest fire activity.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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