Chadron, NE,. — Fire officials from the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands (NNFG) urge visitors to help prevent wildfires. This year the Forest has had a total of 11 fires: four were human caused fires, and seven were lightning caused. Currently Fire Danger in all areas of the Forest are rated “Very High.”
The wildland fire support community of the NNFG noted that the Labor Day holiday brings many visitors onto public lands. Forest Service officials ask that all forest visitors be considerate and practice fire prevention: Know before you go on that camping trip; Fire restrictions may be in place; Target shooting and use of power equipment can spark a wildfire; If you do have a campfire, keep it small, never leave it unattended, and put it out completely before you leave; and finally, remember that fireworks and exploding targets are not allowed on national forest system lands, so leave them home.
Tedd Teahon, Acting Forest Fire Management Officer said, “To quote Roy T. Bennett, ‘Do what is right, not what is easy nor what is popular.’” Help us keep prevent wildland fires on our Public Lands.
Be sure to have maps with you to ensure you are on public land. Our Motor Vehicle Use Maps are a free resource that can help. They are available at district offices or online or through the AVENZA app. Learn more about maps at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/nebraska/maps-pubs. Forest Visitor Maps are available online for a fee through the USGS Store and electronically through the Avenza Maps mobile app for a fee. For additional information, visit us online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/nebraska/home; on Twitter @USFSNebraska or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaForestsGrasslands/.
People can also look at certain geographic areas for more specific fire danger. The Nebraska site is here, and the South Dakota site is here.
