Fire Danger

    In spite of the fact we have received some rain over the past week there is still high fire danger.  There is a fire ban in effect for both the Boundary Waters and Cook County as a whole.  We know how important a campfire is to those who head out into the woods over Memorial Weekend or any time.  We want everyone to be able to enjoy sitting by a campfire with friends and family but we urge you to be careful with fire no matter when it is or where you are. 

    Whenever you are going to have a campfire be sure to have a bucket of water present before you even think about lighting it.  Make sure your fire is in a pit with a rock or metal ring around it and no flammable materials near it.  Do not use items such as leaves and paper to start a fire as these have a tendency to fly up into the air while still burning and could cause a fire.  Throwing logs onto the fire can also send sparks into the air so be sure to place logs gently onto the fire.  Never leave a campfire unattended or burning overnight especially if it is windy.  When you are ready to leave your campfire make sure it is dead out.  It shouldn’t hiss when you pour water on it and the coals should be cool to your touch.  

We can prevent forest fires caused by people but we cannot control forest fires caused by lightening or Mother Nature.  Please do your part in preventing forest fires and always use care in making sure your fire is completely out.