GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — Due to ongoing dry conditions and a high risk of wildfires, the National Park Service (NPS) has announced a ban on all campfires and charcoal use within Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

This restriction will apply to the park’s Tennessee and North Carolina sides until further notice. Visitors camping, backpacking, or picnic areas may still use cookstoves on compressed gas canisters or grills with an on/off switch. However, these stoves and grills must be attended at all times.

The NPS works with various area agencies to address weather and fuel conditions. Visitors are advised to exercise extra caution on public lands, including national parks and national forests in North Carolina and Tennessee, particularly during times of increased fire danger.

A burn ban has been issued in Sevier County, which borders the park. Several wildfires have begun in East Tennessee as the dry conditions continue.