Many Oregonians love the great outdoors! And no matter what the preferred recreational activity, sitting around a campfire is one of the special times we all enjoy. During the summer, when humidity is low and wind is high, grass and debris can become tinder for a stray campfire ember. May is Wildfire Awareness Month. Here are a few suggestions to help ensure that your campfires will be safe during the holiday weekend and throughout the summer: – Call before you go – Call your local forestry or fire district to learn if there are any current campfire restrictions. – Select the right spot – Maintained campgrounds with established fire pits provide the safest venue for campfires. If campfires are allowed outside campgrounds, avoid areas near your tent, structures, vehicles, shrubs and trees, and be aware of low-hanging branches overhead. Clear the site down to mineral soil, at least FIVE feet on all sides, and circle your campfire site with rocks. Store your unused firewood a good distance from the fire. – Keep your campfire small – A campfire is less likely to escape control if it is kept small. A large fire may cast hot embers long distances. Add firewood in small amounts as existing material is consumed. – Attend your campfire at all times – A campfire left unattended for only a few minutes can grow into a costly, damaging wildfire. Staying with your campfire from start to finish until dead out is required by state law, to ensure that any escaped sparks or embers can be extinguished quickly. – NEVER use gasoline or other accelerants (flammable or combustible liquids) to start or increase your campfire. Once the fire is ignited, wait until the match is cold and then discard it in the fire. – Always have water and fire tools on site – Have a shovel and a bucket of water nearby to extinguish any escaped embers. When you are ready to leave, drown ALL embers with water, stir the coals, and drown again. Repeat until the fire is DEAD out. – Make sure it’s out – Completely extinguish your campfire before leaving. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave. A campfire that appears to be extinguished can harbor heat for weeks. Then, a warm day with a little wind can rekindle the “sleeper fire” into flames. – Burn ONLY wood – State regulations prohibit the open burning of any material that creates dense, toxic smoke or noxious odors. – Escaped campfires are costly – The Oregon Department of Forestry spent more than $160,000 in 2013 to suppress unattended and escaped campfires. State law requires the proper clearing, building, attending and extinguishing of open fires any time of year. A first-time citation carries a $110 fine. If your campfire spreads out of control, you are responsible for the cost of fire suppression. This can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. OTHER WILDFIRE AWARENESS MONTH TIPS – During Wildfire Prevention Month visit the Keep Oregon Green website, www.keeporegongreen.org/, for other fire prevention tips.
