The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department initiated its annual fire ban on May 1. The department now is taking additional steps to protect park visitors and resources due to the extremely dry conditions. Effective immediately, smoking in Maricopa Countyâs regional parks will be prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or at developed recreation sites such as parking lots and campsites. A date to lift the restrictions has not been established. That information will be provided when available. The heightened restrictions come on the heels of recent wildfire activity within White Tank Mountain Regional Park and Cave Creek Regional Park boundaries. McDowell Mountain Regional Park is among the 11 parks in the county system to adopt the ban.