Warm, pleasant days good for fun, but fire danger still a threat

Thousands of people enjoyed a long, sunny Memorial Day weekend, but the flip side of that is worry that a huge fire can come about with just one careless act.

Without moisture for weeks now, the valleys are littered with kindling on the ground and dry tree branches above. That’s a perfect combination for an ember left behind or a live cigarette thrown from a car window.

We only have to look north and count our blessings as the Forest Service and other firefighters battle as many as six large blazes covering thousands of acres. Buildings have burned and people have been forced from their homes.

Most Valley residents don’t have to look too far back to remember the Miller’s Reach fire that caused so much devastation in the Big Lake area in 1996. As a matter of fact, its 14th anniversary is Wednesday.

It burned nearly 40,000 acres and 350 buildings. More than a 1,000 people were evacuated. The president declared it a disaster and the blaze burned for almost two weeks before it was put out. There are still scars out that way.

With all this nice weather and no significant rain predicted in the immediate future, we are sitting on a tinderbox.

All burn permits are suspended, but that won’t stop people from getting outside and enjoying the too-short summer. When they go into the woods or trails, they take fire starters with them, whether an unintentional spark from an engine or leaving a campfire before it’s completely extinguished.

Even a passing train can send sparks into the nearby undergrowth.

People cause the vast majority of wildfires, so we have to take responsibility for how we enjoy outdoor activities.

Home and cabin owners should look around and remove any brush from around their property. If they have running water, get those hoses on the faucet. If you see smoke, report it right away. Better to be safe.

The Division of Forestry has declared the area from Cantwell all the way to Kodiak as being at very high risk for fires. That will continue until we get plenty of rain.

If you are person of prayer, send the word out. If you know a rain dance, start dancing. This place needs all the help it can get.