Campers and hunters urged to be careful

SALMON, Idaho (KIFI) - Fire managers would remind forest visitors fire danger is high on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, and wildfires can still occur. 

Forest officials are asking the public to be extremely careful when camping and to remember it’s your job and responsibility to properly maintain and extinguish all campfires. 

Fire Managers are advising all public lands users and particularly campers and hunters, to use caution when building and maintaining campfires.

Attention throughout the fall should also be given to identifying other sources that could ignite a wildfire, such as discarded cigarettes or hot mufflers on vehicles parked in tall, dry grass. 

In the last month, several human caused fires have happened on the Salmon-Challis National Forest. 

If you are planning a hunting, camping, hiking or motorized trip please be especially cautious about actions that could cause a wildfire.

• Always make sure that campfires are thoroughly extinguished before leaving your campsite.  This is effectively done by stirring coals and other burned materials with water until embers are out and the fire is cool.  If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave!
• Even if your fire is a relatively small warming fire, the fire should be dead out before you leave the site.
• Never leave a campfire unattended. 
• Always use a campfire ring or fire pan when building a campfire.
• Keep your campfire small and under control; make it only as big as you need it.
• Keep a shovel and a water container nearby to douse escaped embers.
• Recreational shooting? Take precautions!  Never shoot into dry vegetation and always make sure you’re shooting in a safe location.  Be aware that shooting of exploding targets is not allowed on National Forest System lands in the Intermountain Region. 
• Fireworks are not allowed on federal lands
• Refrain from smoking in wooded, grassy or brushy areas.  Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished before leaving the area and do not litter or leave the butt on the ground.
• Fireworks are illegal on public lands: every forest, every campsite, every day.  Never light fireworks in the woods.
• Ensure your vehicle is properly maintained, with nothing dragging on the ground.  A loose safety chain or dangling muffler can send a shower of sparks into dry vegetation. 
• Keep vehicles off dry grass.  The catalytic converter may contact the vegetation and start a fire.  
• Always carry a shovel and fire extinguisher. 

Should you start a wildfire, even if it’s by accident, you could be held liable for damages and firefighting costs. 

If you need to report a wildfire, abandoned or unattended campfire, call Central Idaho Dispatch Center at 208-756-5157 or 911 as soon as possible.