Recent hot and dry weather has led to a ban on all outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of Island County.

Sheriff Rick Felici, who is also the county fire marshal, announced that the burn ban was changed to Type II on Aug. 17.

Likewise, Deception Pass State Park enacted a Level 3 burn ban this week, which prohibits wood and charcoal fires at campsites.

The Island County proclamation states that the danger of outdoor fires is “extreme” in unincorporated areas and cautions people to “use extreme caution with any ignition source.”

Felici proclaimed a less-restrictive Type I burn ban earlier this summer. The Type II burn ban, however, prohibits recreational fires that were otherwise exempt from a Type I burn ban, including consumer fireworks — which currently aren’t allowed anyway.

Barbecue grills using propane or briquettes and self-contained camp stoves may still be used.

Felici proclaimed the burn ban in concurrence with the fire districts on Whidbey and Camano islands and the Northwest Clean Air Agency.

The National Weather Service predicts that recent hot weather on Whidbey will cool over the weekend, but smoke from Eastern Washington wildfires might be coming this way soon.