Prevention still up to you
Published 12:01 am Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Given the record-setting rain, plunging snow levels and colder than normal temperatures we’ve experienced this spring, it’s difficult to comprehend that the first week of May was designated Wildfire Awareness Week by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
While the majority of people only worry about wildfire during those gloriously hot, dry days of late summer, the DNR emphasizes that a wet spring is the perfect climate for the growth of vegetation that can serve as ideal tinder for forest fires — as today’s lush green stalks of fresh grass and underbrush become highly combustible when dried by the summer sun.
Because they’re responsible for 12.7 million acres of land, including state, private and tribal-owned parcels, the state’s on-call fire-fighting team can get stretched pretty thin during the summer months. Wildfire Awareness Week offers them an early opportunity to educate the public and ask for their assistance and shared responsibility.
We’re certain hikers and campers are watching the weather forecast, anxious to make their plans and venture outdoors to enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
As they’re preparing their gear they should also be mindful of their exit strategy and heed the advice of the staff at the Department of Natural Resources who’ve enlisted the help an old friend, Smokey Bear to deliver their message. Most of us remember Smokey for his stern warning that “only YOU can prevent forest fires.” Today’s Smokey is a hip, more modern kind of bear with his own interactive web site www.smokeybear.com and a trendy “Get your Smokey on” message.
Here are Smokey’s tips for properly extinguishing a campfire:
1. Allow the wood to burn completely to ash if possible.
2. Pour lots of water on the fire; drown all embers, not just the red ones.
3. Pour until hissing sound stops.
4. Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers.
5. Stir and make sure everything is wet and cold to the touch.
6. If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers; continue adding and stirring until all material is cooled. Remember: do not bury the fire, as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire.
Wildfires, however, aren’t always caused by hikers or campers. Careless smokers, backyard burners and the irresponsible use of fireworks also increase the risk.
Preventing wildfires is easier (and cheaper) than fighting them. We all need to “Get our Smokey on.”
