As part of a national Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 5-11) campaign, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildland firefighters will be visiting schools and partnering with fire departments across the state to promote fire safety and wildfire prevention.
While this national event spotlights fire prevention each October, wildfire prevention is a year-round priority in Minnesota. Our spring months typically produce the highest number of wildfires on average each year. While typically fewer occur in fall, wildfires have the potential to grow quickly and become large due to drier weather conditions and the addition of dry vegetation and falling leaves as fall progresses. Historically, some of the most devastating wildfires in Minnesota’s past have begun in September and October, such as the Great Hinckley Fire, which started on Sept. 1, 1894.
Fall is an active time for Minnesotans, whether enjoying outdoor recreation or working in yards or fields, and it is also a critical time to be practicing fire-safe habits. Every year burned brush piles, campfires, and farming and recreation equipment spark unexpected wildfires in grasses and dry vegetation. Being fire-prevention aware when outdoors will keep fall enjoyable for everyone.
As students and communities learn more about fire prevention next week, every Minnesotan can do their part by always keeping wildfire prevention in mind and following these guidelines:
- Keep campfires small and manageable, and always have plenty of water and a shovel close by to put the fire out cold.
- Hold off on burning large debris piles until there is three inches of continuous snow cover and always check if a burning permit is required on the DNR’s burning permit webpage.
- Use alternatives to burning, such as disposing of leaves, yard waste and brush by composting or chipping, or taking these materials to a collection site.
- Park vehicles on gravel or pavement whenever possible and avoid idling near tall grass or other dry vegetation. Exhaust systems from equipment like ATVs and tractors can reach temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees.
Most importantly, stay safe. If people see a wildfire, they should move to a safe location and call 911 right away.
If schools or communities want to invite staff or Smokey Bear to teach about wildfire prevention, they can contact the nearest DNR forestry office. To learn more about wildfire prevention, visit the DNR website.