PARKS -- Illegal fire-making appears to have contributed to one of Whitman County’s most popular campgrounds – Kamiak Butte – being closed until further notice.

The county park’s five miles of forested hiking trails remain open for day use, but as of Friday the park’s campground has been closed.

Parks staff said the campground would likely open once the Palouse sees enough rainfall to reduce the chance of wildfires.

The closure by the Whitman County Parks Department comes partly in response to a 10-acre blaze at the top of the butte last weekend. The investigation into the cause of that fire is ongoing, but Palouse Fire Chief Mike Bagott told the Daily News on Monday the fire could have been caused by an illegal campfire on the south side of the butte late Saturday night.

While the county park is open during the day, there are some fire restrictions for those hiking the butte, and in all county parks: no open fires and no smoking on trails.