We are nearing the end of National Fire Prevention Week, but that certainly doesn’t mean in any way, shape or form that the dangers of wildfire is gone. If fact, there is no time to be more vigilant about stopping the cause and spread of wildfires. Nothing makes me more upset to see people being careless with either an open flame, cigarette butts tossed out of moving cars or campfires that aren’t properly extinguished.
As the weather changes and becomes more arid, the already dry leaves and grasses are perfectly primed for fires. It doesn’t take much to start a fire and have it burn uncontrollably in mere minutes. Remember Bastrop? Of course you do! That fire was a careless mistake and jumped a 100 yard wide river and continued it’s devastating burn on the other side. It burned millions of dollars worth of property, hundreds of livestock were consumed and it quickly became the source unbearable anguish for many people it left in its fiery wake.
There’s not much more I can really say in regards to preventing wildfires that I haven’t already said in the past. It is clearly your responsibility to make sure that you are careful with any flame you are using at your campsite. One stray spark can literally destroy thousands of lives, acres and wildlife. Fire prevention is everyone’s responsibility. That means making sure that you have fire extinguishers on your RV and you obey all open flame laws. If there is a burn ban in effect, use your head, don’t fire up the grill. I for one, never want to see anything like the destruction in Bastrop, TX again. The really sad part is that I know I will.