Prevention
Fire Prevention and Education
Our fire and prevention specialists work closely with area schools, community organizations and others to deliver information on preventing human-caused wildland fires, as well as how to prepare your home and property should a fire start. Every year, on average, human-caused wildfires account for approximately 85% of wildfires in the United States. Though most of these fires are caused by accidents, many of them can be prevented.
Educate yourself on how you can prevent wildfires and mitigate the impacts of wildfires on your community.
Below, you will find links to helpful prevention and education resources
Fire isn’t always the enemy. Prescribed burns, overseen by the U.S. Forest Service, can help maintain healthy ecosystems by clearing out dead vegetation, reducing the risk of larger, more destructive fires, and improving wildlife habitats. The forest’s fire management program operates out of four zones—Richfield, Fillmore, Fremont River and Beaver, ensuring rapid response when wildfires do break out. When fires start in the wrong place or time, often due to unattended campfires or careless actions like fireworks or machinery sparks, the consequences can be severe.
- Check Fire Restrictions: Before heading out, contact your local Forest Service office or visit the Fishlake National Forest Alerts & Closures page to see if fire restrictions are in effect. During high-risk periods, campfires may be prohibited outside designated areas.
- Use Existing Fire Rings: When camping, stick to established fire rings rather than creating new ones. This minimizes damage to the landscape and helps keep fires contained.
- Keep It Small: Build small campfires only with dead, downed wood. Never cut branches from live trees—it’s harmful to the forest and can get you cited.
- Stay Nearby: Never leave your campfire unattended. Even a small breeze can carry embers into dry grass or leaves.
- No Fireworks Allowed: Fireworks are strictly prohibited on all National Forest lands, including Caribou-Targhee, year-round. Even sparklers can ignite dry vegetation—leave them at home.
- No Incendiary/Tracer Rounds: If you’re shooting in permitted areas, avoid incendiary or tracer ammunition. These rounds can spark fires on impact, especially in dry conditions.
- No Exploding Targets: Avoid using exploding targets, as their detonation can generate sparks and heat capable of igniting dry vegetation in an instant.
- Don’t Idle Over Dry Grass: Avoid leaving cars or trucks running over dry grass or brush. Hot exhaust systems can ignite vegetation—park in cleared areas instead.
- Watch for Chains and Sparks: When towing trailers or using equipment, ensure chains aren’t dragging. Metal scraping on rocks or pavement can create sparks that ignite nearby fuels. Secure chains and inspect equipment before heading out.
- Avoid Risky Activities: During dry seasons, skip activities like smoking outside designated areas or using machinery without spark arrestors.
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to prevent wildfires is ensuring your campfire is completely extinguished before you leave it. In the Fishlake National Forest, we emphasize the "out cold" process—a method to guarantee your fire is no longer a threat. Here’s how it works:
- Let It Burn Down: Allow your campfire to burn down to ash as much as possible. This reduces the amount of unburned fuel that could reignite later.
- Douse with Water: Pour water over the fire, making sure to soak all embers, logs, and ashes. Don’t skimp—use enough to penetrate deep into the fire pit.
- Stir and Check: Stir the ashes with a stick or shovel to expose any hidden embers. Add more water as needed, ensuring everything is wet.
- Feel for Heat: Place your hand close to (but not in) the ashes. If it’s cool to the touch—truly "out cold"—you’re good to go. If you feel any warmth, repeat the process. You should be able to touch the ashes without burning yourself.
This technique is critical because many wildfires in the Fishlake start from campfires that were thought to be out but weren’t. An unattended ember can smolder for hours, only to flare up when the wind picks up. By mastering "out cold," you’re doing your part to keep the forest safe.
Smokey Bear
Firewise
Defensible Space
Fire Prevention
What Are Fire Danger Ratings?
The National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) is a system that allows fire managers to estimate today's or tomorrow's fire danger for a given area. It combines the effects of existing and expected states of selected fire danger factors into one or more qualitative or numeric indices that reflect an area's fire protection needs. It links an organization's readiness level (or pre-planned fire suppression actions) to the potential fire problems of the day.
Knowledge of these levels can help forest visitors make decisions about whether or not to have a campfire or ride their OHV in a dry area. Contractors working in the forest may consider extra precautions when using equipment that might produce sparks. In some cases, the National Forest may even restrict certain activities based on the fire danger levels.
A LOW rating designation means grasses and brush do not ignite readily from small firebrands. Dead and down timber fires spread slowly on the ground with little danger of spotting.
Conditions for MODERATE could mean that fires in open cured grasslands will burn briskly and spread rapidly on windy days. Timber fires spread slowly to moderately fast.
Fires when the rating is HIGH could easily start from most causes. Unattended campfires are likely to escape with fire spreading rapidly and short-distance spotting is common.
VERY HIGH rating means that fires start easily from all causes and immediately after ignition, spread rapidly, and increase quickly in intensity. Spot fires starting new fires is a constant danger.
When conditions are EXTREME all fires are potentially serious because fires start quickly, spread furiously, and burn intensely. It is often too dangerous for firefighters to engage with direct attack suppression tactics.