Like most Northlanders, I breathed a sigh of relief when rain fell last week. I was one of the many people who were happy about Cook County Sheriff Mark Falk’s order banning all campfires in the county. Things had been getting just too dry.
The sound of rain on the rooftop is welcome. It is nice to see the thirsty yellow and brown grass turning green. The tiny buds struggling to appear on the birch and poplar trees have finally burst out. It’s good to be green!
I was glad too, that the fire restrictions were relaxed a little bit this week. I was ready to make S’mores with the grandkids indoors, using the sterno-fueled S’mores maker I received as a gift from my friend Gale. But it is so much more fun and relaxing to sit around the campfire and roast marshmallows on a stick.
I was delighted to receive the photo on the front of this issue of the two Grand Marais Recreation Park campground visitors, Ron and Larry, enjoying the first fire of the season, possible now that the campfire restriction has been lifted within campgrounds.
I was glad, but a little worried. Although we’ve had rain, it is still terribly dry. I took a hike up Eagle Mountain with friends this weekend and we were amazed to see how dry the trail still was. Although there is a sign at the trailhead cautioning, “You will get wet feet,” we did not. There were a few damp places of dark mud, but no puddles. The swampy areas off to the side of the trail were nearly arid. The swamp grasses looked tinder dry.
The little lake about three fourths of the way up the mountain was especially startling. Thehigh water mark was clearly visible several feet from the wooden boardwalk. The marsh marigolds were growing on the bare ground, completely out of the water.
So although we have had rain, we need more. I recall that the 2007 Ham Lake wildfire started on May 5—three years to the day that I write this column. I remember that we had received a little bit of rain back then too. It was dry, but it seemed to be getting better. Were we too complacent because things had gotten a bit green?
I remember running a “campfires okay” story back then. By the time the paper was printed and distributed, we were two days into the Ham Lake fire. So I am a little nervous about running the picture of the happy campers at the Rec Park.
So I want to add my voice to all the others that are saying be careful with fire! If you roast hot dogs or marshmallows, keep your fire small. Keep it in a fire ring. Only have a fire where you have a sufficient water supply nearby and use it to completely douse your coals. Never, never, never leave your fire unattended.
It’s good to be green – but it’s better to be careful!
Please folks, be extra careful
this year. And remember—
only you can prevent forest
fires!
Smokey Bear
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