Dry Southeast
Conditions Bring Fire Restrictions to State and Federal Lands
May 9, 2002
Thursday - 12:45 pm
Ketchikan, AK - Alaska Division of Forestry and Tongass
National Forest officials announced Tuesday that all campfires,
warming fires and other fires on lands managed by the State of
Alaska or the National Forest must be attended at all times,
and all fires must be put out before those starting it leave.
Unusually warm, dry conditions and human carelessness have led
to 20 wildfires erupting on the Tongass National Forest, State
lands and Alaska Native corporation lands within the past two
weeks. By comparison, the Tongass National Forest had only 11
fires during all of 2001.
"High fire danger may
be rare in southeast Alaska, but we're facing it right now,"
Tongass National Forest Supervisor Tom Puchlerz said. "Everyone
needs to remember Smokey Bear's warnings, and be extremely careful
with fire."
Campfires are not the only
way wildfires are started, noted Alaska Division of Forestry
Coastal Region Forester Mike Curran. "People using chain
saws and riding all-terrain vehicles should make sure their spark
arresters are working properly," he advised. "Even
the catalytic converter in the exhaust system of a car or truck
can cause a fire if it's parked in heavy, dry vegetation."
Those responsible for wildfires may face both criminal and civil
penalties. Fines may reach $5,000 per incident. Both the costs
of putting the fire out and the value of resources destroyed
may be collected under civil codes.
Source of News Release:
USDA - Forest Service - Tongass
National Forest
Web Site
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