HAMILTON — The Bitterroot National Forest will hike the fire danger from “Low” to “Moderate” on Tuesday, June 11.
Forest officials note temperatures are getting warmer, and fuels are starting to dry out in many areas.
When fire danger is “moderate,” fires can start from most accidental causes, but the number of fires is usually low, a news release states.
However, if a fire starts in open, dry grassland, it will burn and spread quickly on windy days.
Most fires spread slowly to moderately and are often easy to control.
There are no fire restrictions at this time. Visit https://www.mtfireinfo.org/ for additional information.
The Bitterroot National Forest offers the following fire safety tips for campers:
- Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure your coals are cool to the touch before you leave.
- Keep campfires small, and completely extinguish them before leaving camp. The best method is to douse the fire with water, stir the ashes and douse again, making sure that all ashes are cold to the touch.
- It is illegal to have unattended campfires.
Forest officials are also asking homeowners to prepare their homes and surroundings for the upcoming wildfire season.
Ravalli County residents can get a free wildfire risk assessment on their properties to help reduce wildlife danger.
A wildfire mitigation workshop and field tour will be held June 15 at 9 a.m. at the Bitterroot Inn in Hamilton.
More information is available at http://fireintheroot.org/.
