Fire Crews Respond Quickly to Contain Lemm Fire
Release Date: Aug 9, 2016
Chester, Calif., August 9, 2016 – On Monday August 8, fire resources responded to a wildland fire on Lassen National Forest about two miles southeast of Butt Mountain in the Almanor Ranger District. White smoke was visible throughout Chester and the Lake Almanor Basin.
As of Tuesday morning, four engines, two water tenders, and two hot shot crews were engaged in suppressing the Lemm Fire. By 6:00 am, the fire was 95 percent contained at eight acres.
The fire was caused by an abandoned campfire reported on Monday at 12:45 pm. Because the fire was spotted early, resources were able to respond right away.
“Fast response enabled us to contain the fire quickly,” said Lassen National Forest Public Affairs Officer Joyce El Kouarti. “But it could have been avoided altogether had the campfire been put out correctly.”
Campfires should be drowned with water, and their ashes and embers mixed with soil. “You should feel the coals and embers with your hands to make sure it’s cool to the touch. Then add more water just be sure,” El Kouarti said.
Lassen National Forest has been in fire restrictions since August 1. Campfires are only allowed in designated sites, and campfire permits are required. Permits are free and can be obtained at any national forest office.
Lassen National Forest lies at the Crossroads of California, where the granite of the Sierra Nevada, the lava of the Cascades and the Modoc Plateau, and the sagebrush of the Great Basin meet. The Forest is managed for recreational access as well as timber and firewood for homes, forage for livestock, water, minerals, and other natural resources. For more information, call (530)257-2151; visit www.fs.usda.gov/lassen; or like us on Facebook.
The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, part U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation's clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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