Safety and Outdoor Ethics
When recreating in the forest, be respectful of others and the forest itself. A little preparation and forethought can go a long way toward ensuring our recreation areas remain safe and enjoyable for you and others for years to come. A big part of that is responsibly building, tending and extinguishing campfires, and also leaving campsites clean and litter-free.
Some quick tips:
Fire Restrictions
First, you must check to see if there are fire restrictions in place. Warm, dry and windy conditions often mean increased wildfire hazards. During these times, campfires are prohibited. Visit our Alerts Page for the latest alerts and restrictions that may be in place.
Build fires in a safe area. Make sure you have either brought several gallons of water to be able to put out your fire, or are near a water source to refill a bucket. Your open fires and fuel-burning appliances must be far enough away from the tent to prevent ignition from sparks, flames, and heat. Never use a flame or any other heating device inside a tent. Use a flashlight or battery-powered light instead.
Make sure your fires are always attended. Be sure you have an area for a fire that cannot spread laterally or vertically - a grill or stone surface is ideal. When putting the fire out, drown it with water, making sure all embers, coals and sticks are wet. Embers buried deep within the pile have a tendency to reignite later.
Leave No Trace
Dispose of trash properly. Remember to recycle - use the proper recycling bins if available.
Practice Leave No Trace principles. Whether you're hiking, camping, boating or otherwise recreating in the forest, be sure to learn and practice Leave No Trace principles.
Outdoor Ethics
Outdoor ethics is based on the idea that we are all stewards of the environment and should provide careful and responsible management of our great outdoors so that this generation and those to come can enjoy it.