OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has placed a temporary ban on target shooting on all department-managed lands effective immediately, citing wildfire prevention as the reason for the edict.

Also, the Department of Natural Resources has announced target shooting restrictions on all DNR-managed lands.

“We implemented several fire risk prevention measures for WDFW lands in Eastern Washington earlier this summer,” the Lands Division Manager for WDFW Cynthia Wilkerson said. “With increasing fire danger and several recent incidents of human-caused fires in southwest Washington, we want to emphasize that the target shooting ban includes Western Washington.”

The ban applies to the approximately one million acres of WDFW managed land, including wildlife areas and water access areas throughout the state. The temporary rule does not restrict lawful hunting.

All temporary restrictions will remain in effect until the risk of wildfire decreases, according to Wilkerson. Any updates to these restrictions will be posted on the department’s website at wdfw.wa.gov.

In a WDFW press release, the department claims, “Discharging firearms poses a greater risk in dry conditions as bullets pass through decayed wood, cause sparks off rocks, or break into fragments in dry grass. Fires can ignite even after a shooter has left an area.

“Fire danger on most of the east side is rated as “high” or “extremely high.” Many counties in Western Washington are also at a “high” fire danger level. Residents should check for burn bans in their areas on DNR’s website. “

The DNR issued a statewide burn ban on July 27 and is set to remain in effect through Sept. 30. More information on the DNR statewide burn ban can be found on the department’s web pages.