PUEBLO COLORADO — The Pueblo Interagency Dispatch Center says there have been 139 abandoned or unattended campfires in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest this year.
This dangerous trend in irresponsible outdoor recreation is one of the leading causes of catastrophic wildfires each year, with the peak of summer still to come and the National Fire Preparedness Levels continuing to rise.
As we have previously reported, on July 5, the United States Forest Service had only reported 77 abandoned campfires, nearly doubling the amount found by July 12.
The Pike-San Isabel National Forests and the Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands continue to urge the public to use proper safety campfire precautions when visitors recreate on the national forests and the grasslands.
Proper Fire Safety Regulations & Precautions:
- Always check for red flag warnings and other fire restrictions before considering a campsite.
- A violation of those campfire restrictions is subject to a $5,000 penalty or 6 months in jail, and violators can be held responsible for any suppression costs if it causes a wildfire.
- Always be campfire-aware. Make sure the campfire site is not near your tent, any other flammables and other belongings.
- Always completely extinguish a fire before you leave, even if you plan to come back, and make sure your fire is out before you go to bed.
What to do if you come across an abandoned campfire?
- If you come across an abandoned campfire, extinguish it only if you have the appropriate materials.
- The appropriate materials are a bucket, plenty of extra water, and a shovel to drown/stir the fire until it is completely out.
- Otherwise, if you do not have the appropriate materials needed to extinguish the campfire you can call your local county non-emergency number or your local national forest or grassland district office to report the abandoned campfire.
For more information on other fire safety tips and fire safety restrictions please visit: their website
Why is it important?
Because as the old Smokey the Bear verbiage goes, "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires". And already this year Colorado has seen a significant fire that was human-caused. The Interlaken Fire burned over 700 acres in Lake County for more than a week as was caused by an abandoned campfire.
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