Last Updated on May 21, 2014 5:07 pm
With Memorial Day weekend approaching, the U.S. Forest Service reminds visitors to the Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie, and Croatan National Forests to prevent wildfires by practicing simple steps.
Campfires are often a source of wildfires. Practice these techniques to prevent a wildfire:
Keep your fire to a manageable size
Make sure children and pets are supervised when near the fire
Never leave your campfire unattended
Never cut live trees or branches from live trees
When extinguishing a campfire, follow these steps:
Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible
Pour lots of water on the fire, drown ALL embers, not just the red ones
Pour until hissing sound stops
Stir the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel
Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers
Stir and make sure everything is wet and they are cold to the touch
If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. 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.
Click here for more tips on preventing wildfires and visit www.smokeybear.com.
