How To Prevent Forest Fires In Alaska
Each year millions of acres of forested lands are burned due to carelessness. Last year, there were more than 40 escaped campfires on National Forest lands in Alaska. With just a little planning, you can help prevent accidental forest fires. Here are a few easy steps you can take to make sure that when you leave, you don’t leave an uncontrolled fire behind.
- Build campfires away from overhanging branches, steep slopes, rotten stumps, dry grass, or leaves.
- Pile extra firewood away from the fire.
- Have a shovel handing for shoveling dirt on an out of control fire.
- Keep your campfire small.
- Be sure any matches you use are out and break them into pieces.
- Never leave a campfire unattended.
Extinguish fires completely
- Allow the wood to burn completely to ash if possible.
- Pour lots of water on the fire, drown ALL embers.
- Pour until the hissing sounds stops.
- Stir the ashes and embers with a shovel.
- Scrape any remaining logs to remove embers.
- Make sure everything is cold to the touch.
- If you do not have water, use DIRT or sand by mixing in with embers.
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