Want to roast marshmallows over a fire in your yard? You’ve got only a couple days left. Multnomah County announced that a summer burn ban will go into effect on Friday, June 16, more than a month earlier than similar bans in 2021 and 2022, which took effect in July.

Here's the ban schedule: 

• June 16: backyard fires
• June 30: agricultural burning and other forms of open burning (debris burning, land clearing)
• July 6: total burn ban takes effect, including bonfires and campfires.

However, there is a workaround: barbecues are exempt from the burn ban. So grill on (yes, you can roast s'mores on a grill)—as long as the barbecue is 10 feet from homes and fences, and you dispose of ashes properly by keeping them wet for several days, and store them in an enclosed metal container.

Officials are on edge because it’s already been a busy burn ban season: in mid-May, when temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit and small wildfires emerged, portions of Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties instated a temporary emergency ban. This year, rather than waiting for hazardous conditions, officials are instating regulations proactively. They are particularly concerned about the ample small growth on the ground following two years of substantial spring rains because once high heat descends, that small growth can dry up and fuel fires. This said, Oregon is heading into fire season in reasonably good shape.

Judging from prior years, this year's burn bans will likely remain in effect until at least October, and the county notes that all bans and dates may shift depending on weather conditions.