Hot spell ahead: Make sure campfires are ‘dead out’

With warm and dry conditions across the region, Northwest Forest Service officials urged visitors Monday to practice campfire safety when recreating outdoors.

“Our firefighters will be busy this summer responding to lightning-caused wildfires,” said Traci Weaver, Public affairs officer for fire communications. “Please help us out by being safe and responsible with fire so we don’t add unnecessary human-caused wildfires to the mix.”

Nationally, about 90 percent of wildfires are human caused. Unattended campfires are the No. 1 source of human-caused wildfires on public land. In 2017, 45 percent of wildfires in Oregon and 91 percent of wildfires in Washington were human-caused.

If you are planning to have a campfire, please remember:

First, “know before you go” whether campfires are allowed in the area you are visiting. Fire restrictions may be in place depending on local conditions. Keep your campfire small and away from flammable material, like overhanging tree branches or shrubs. Use a designated campfire ring when available. Keep water and a shovel nearby. Completely extinguish your campfire by drowning your fire with water and stirring with a shovel. Make sure your campfire is cold to the touch before leaving it.

This short video demonstrates how to properly build and extinguish a campfire.