We wanted to editorialize about the Critical Areas Ordinance, and spell out what proposed changes will and won’t work.

That is a hot topic, and we’ll editorialize about it in the coming weeks. But there’s a hotter topic – literally – that deserves the immediate attention of every islander.

Fire safety.

The San Juan County Fire Marshal Thursday suspended all outdoor burning – including recreational fires – in the county, including county parks.

High temperatures, low rainfall totals and low moisture levels in trees and vegetation have driven our fire danger to high statewide. As of Friday, the state Department of Natural Resources was responding to more than 42 fires in Northeastern Washington. Many of those fires were caused by lightning.

More than 200 firefighters, aided by 36 fire engines and five helicopters, were deployed in response and had kept all of the fires under control. No fire had grown to more than 10 acres in size; most were less than two acres in size.

It could easily be worse; DNR fire officials warn that the entire state is seeing dangerous fire conditions through this week. The Orcas Fire Department is on high alert and asks the public to not start any fire, of any kind.

“This next seven days will be some of the highest fire danger levels we’ve seen in recent years, for the (western state) as well as the (eastern state),” Mark Gray, a DNR fire official, said.

If you have any questions about local conditions and restrictions, call the fire marshal’s office, 378-FIRE. You can check conditions and restrictions statewide by calling 1-800-323-BURN or visiting http://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/firedanger.

For more information about how you can make your home and neighborhood more fire safe, call Ron Garner, the county’s Firewise coordinator, at 378-7722.

So as we continue to enjoy this sunny, dry summer, remember: don’t play with fire.