Summer is here and that means fire restrictions. Once the snow melts, the risk for fires increase. A few days of hot, dry weather means just one spark can start a fire. In no time at all, that small fire can turn into a devastating wildfire. That’s exactly why Summit County fire restrictions are now in place.
Stage 1 fire restrictions
Stage 1 fire restrictions are the most lenient fire restrictions. Risk is lower but still there. You can still have backyard firepits with ember screens and a permit by the local fire departments. No bonfires. If you are out camping and there is a permanent fire ring at your campsite you can have a fire. However, if you have made your own campsite and/or fire ring, sorry, there are restrictions on that. Feel free to continue to use your grills, as long as your HOA allows it. Other gas or liquid fueled devices, like lanterns or heaters, are allowed too.
Smoking is only allowed in designated outdoor areas or in your car. Never throw your cigarette butts on the ground but when there are fire restrictions, it’s more likely to start a fire. Fireworks and many types of ammunition for your firearms are not allowed either. Even chainsaws can throw a spark that can become a wildfire.
As Smokey says
Only you can prevent forest fires. We need everyone to be aware of fire danger. A small spark, that normally we think nothing about, can turn into a raging wildfire putting people and properties in danger. When fire restrictions are in place in Summit County there are often fire restrictions in other areas too. We need to be more diligent. Know the risks. Take the time to know current fire restrictions where we live and where we play.
As the Boy Scouts say
Be prepared. We all need to do whatever we can to prevent fires but, in addition, we need to be prepared in case there is one. Living in wildfire areas means we should all know what to do and what to take with us if we need to evacuate for a fire. It is highly recommended to make a video of the contents of your home. Not just the big items but show what’s in the cabinets and drawers too. Comments on how big your TV is or that your washer and dryer are brand new could also come in handy when the insurance company is calculating how much they will compensate you. Have important papers stored digitally or off site. Sometimes fires get hot enough that the copies inside a fire proof safe will become damaged from the heat during a fire and become illegible. Hopefully you won’t need to evacuate, but if you do, here are some evacuation tips from Joanne’s sister when she was evacuating years ago from fires near her home. It was a long time ago, but these tips are still good.
The point of Summit County fire restrictions are to avoid the need to evacuate. It is so important to abide by these rules. Your camping trip might not be quite the same experience but it will be much better knowing you didn’t cause a fire that devastated the lives of people in the area.
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