Be a friend of Smokey’s

We can fill this entire editorial space with lots of facts and figures about wildfires, but for 60 years Smokey Bear has said it all: “Only you can prevent forest fires.”

We generally call them wildfires now, but whether in a forest, a pasture, along the shores of a river or on your property, fires are our responsibility.

The National Interagency Fire Center (www.nifc.gov) reports that in 2007, 85,707 wildland fires blazed in the United States, charring more than 9 million acres. Of these, 73,446 or 86 percent were caused by humans.

While in Alaska, the ratio of lightning-caused and human-caused fires is much closer — 201 lightning vs. 247 human — that still means that more than half of Alaska’s wildland fires last year could have been prevented; that 59,000 Alaska acres need not have burned.

In the Mat-Su area, we’ve already seen some small wildfires caused by people. A carelessly monitored burn pile, an open burn on a windy day — the kinds of actions we can look at and say “Wow, that was stupid,” and be thankful we weren’t the ones caught making a poor decision with fire.

The state Division of Forestry is taking an increasingly dim view of dimwitted burns, and has begun citing careless conflagrators, seeking restitution for the cost of fighting fires. When helicopters and other special equipment are called out, that can run into quite a bill.

While the Valley is bright green now, there is plenty of fuel there for burning. If the summer continues to be dry like spring has been, the chances of raging wildfires escalate.

They don’t have to.

We can be the factors that reduce wildland fires. We can educate ourselves about fire danger and act responsibly. We can teach our children to respect fire.

Fireworks, campfires, cigarettes, open burning barrels and intentional burns are all obvious potential wildland fire starters, but don’t forget tools, like cutting torches, barbecue grills, recreational vehicles and other less-obvious and very unintentional incendiaries.

Most human-caused burns are unintentional. Let’s pay attention this year and snuff out human-caused fires in the Valley.

You are never too old to learn a lesson from Smokey. Visit him at www.smokeybear.com.