Prevent Wildfires this Memorial Day Weekend

ASHEVILLE, N.C., May 21, 2014 – With Memorial Day weekend approaching, the U.S. Forest Service reminds visitors to the Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie, and Croatan National Forests to prevent wildfires by practicing simple steps.

Campfires are often a source of wildfires. Practice these techniques to prevent a wildfire:

• Keep your fire to a manageable size
• Make sure children and pets are supervised when near the fire
• Never leave your campfire unattended
• Never cut live trees or branches from live trees

When extinguishing a campfire, follow these steps:

• Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible
• Pour lots of water on the fire, drown ALL embers, not just the red ones
• Pour until hissing sound stops
• Stir the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel
• Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers
• Stir and make sure everything is wet and they are cold to the touch
• If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. Remember: do NOT bury the fire as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire.

Click here for more tips on preventing wildfires and visit www.smokeybear.com.