Campfire bans are likely. Bring a propane stove.

Yes. Almost every California state park will have a campfire ban in effect by mid-summer. This isn’t a maybe — it’s a near certainty from June through October.

The California State Parks system follows local and state fire restrictions. As soon as fire danger hits “high” or “extreme,” which it will, campfires get shut down in developed and backcountry campgrounds alike. Even in designated fire rings. Even if you brought your own wood. The rangers don’t mess around.

Your alternatives: propane camp stoves and propane fire pits that have an on/off switch. Those are generally allowed even under a ban because you can shut them off instantly. No charcoal, no wood, no pellet grills that smolder. The official rule is “portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel” — basically anything with a shutoff valve.

Some parks will still allow campfires in their concrete picnic-style fire rings if the risk level is “moderate.” But it’s not worth planning around that. The summer pattern is clear: if it’s hot and dry, the sign at the entrance will say “No Campfires.”

Check the specific park’s page on parks.ca.gov before you go. Conditions change weekly. But assume the answer is no and pack the propane.

Don’t be the reason a helicopter has to land.