Memorial Day Weekend is quickly upon us!
It’s a great time to visit public lands with friends and family. While out, please remember that human-caused wildfires threaten lives, property and precious resources.
Mother Nature is cooperating for Memorial Day and temps should be close to 80 degrees with a 25% chance of rain showers.
Be careful and alert if you’re headed out into the amazing public lands for outdoor enjoyment.
Forests are amazing places covering over 700 million acres in the United States (that’s about 529 million football fields!).
“Forests are home to a huge variety of plants and animals, providing them with food, water and shelter. Our forests are very valuable. Not only are they places of beauty and outdoor fun, we also rely on trees for fuel, food, raw materials and medicine. Even more importantly, trees and plants in the forest make sure that the Earth’s temperature is livable and that we have enough oxygen to breathe,” said the National Forest Service.
Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires that are very dangerous to people who use the forests and outdoor areas or live in nearby homes and communities.
Wildfires can also cause a lot of damage to some plants and animals and their homes in Montana so be extra careful as the summer season kicks off.
Remember Smokey the Bear’s wise words:
- Only you can prevent wildfires
- Always be careful with fire
- Never play with matches or lighters
- Always watch your campfire
- Make sure your campfire is completely out before leaving it
To learn more about our nation’s forests and other outdoor areas, check out DiscoverTheForest.org. You’ll find games and activities to enjoy indoors and out. And, best of all, you can use a search tool to find the forest closest to you.
