National Park Fire Safety
 
Astrid Sieger
With summer heating up national parks across the country will be seeing their peek annual visitation. With more visitors there is an increase in safety hazards. Almost immediately there is an increase in fires. In good cases these are contained fairly quickly before doing a great deal of damage. Often they cannot be contained even with fire professional’s best efforts.
Unfortunately many of these major fires are started unwittingly by humans. The best way to prevent fires? Follow fire-safety guidelines. First and foremost follow all posted fire safety rules and regulations found in campgrounds and visitors centers at any national park. If you are planning on building a fire the following guidelines will help you prevent a forest fire from happening:
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*Build campfires away from overhanging branches, steep slopes, rotten stumps, logs, dry grass, and leaves. Pile any extra wood away from the fires.
*Keep plenty of water handy and have a shovel for throwing dirt on the fire if it gets out of control.
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*Start with dry twigs and small sticks.
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*Add larger sticks as the fire builds up.
*Put the largest pieces of wood on last, pointing them toward the center of the fire, and gradually push them into the flames.
*Keep the campfire small. A good bed of coals or a small fire surrounded by rocks gives plenty of heat. Scrape away litter, duff, and any burnable material within a 10-foot-diameter circle. This will keep a small campfire from spreading.
*Be sure your match is out. Hold it until it is cold. Break it so that you can feel the charred portion before discarding it. Make sure it is cold out. Conserve matches - carry a candle as a fire starter.
*Never leave a campfire unattended. Even a small breeze could quickly cause the fire to spread.
*Drown the fire with water. Make sure all embers, coals, and sticks are wet. Move rocks - there may be burning embers underneath.
*Stir the remains, add more water, and stir again. Be sure all burned material has been extinguished and cooled. If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough soil or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cooled.
*Feel all materials with your bare hand. Make sure that no roots are burning. Do not bury your coals - they can smolder and break out.Â
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