Be Careful with Campfires in the BWCA and Everywhere

     I wouldn’t think a reminder to be careful with campfires would be necessary especially in the area at the end of the Gunflint Trail.  Unfortunately there are some folks who still don’t realize how dangerous campfires can be.  Just yesterday Mike was called out to an island on SaganagaLake because someone thought it was OK to make a campfire outside of a fire ring in the middle of the island. 

     It should be obvious campfires should only be built inside of a fire ring.  The area should be free of debris and other burnable materials and only wood should be burned in the campfire.  When you leave a campsite whether it’s to go fishing during the day or to move to a campsite you should make sure your campfire is dead out.  This means the ash should be cool to the touch.  Yes, you may get your hands dirty but at least you won’t be responsible for the costs of a beaver flying over and dumping water on your out of control campfire.

From the USFS: August 12, 2011

Three small fires occurred on the Superior National Forest this week.   The cause of these fires has been directly linked to campfires.  Current conditions necessitate your vigilance when building and extinguishing campfires.  To help make your camping trip a safe and enjoyable one, use basic commonsense and follow the simple safety rules in the “Take Responsibility for Building and Putting Out Your Campfire” attachment.

Don’t let your campfire be the cause of a wildfire.  It’s not a pretty site. 

Superior National Forest information: www.usda.gov/superior   Firewise information:  www.firewise.org  Smokey Bear’s advice: www.smokeybear.com

usfs photo four mile fire