Campfires Limited is a grassroots organization of concerned citizens which evolved primarily to achieve automatic May 1 to July 15 campfire restrictions on the National Forests across the Mogollon Rim.
Campfires Limited has recently petitioned the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service under the Administrative Procedure Act to put in place automatic Stage 1 campfire restrictions from May 1 to July 15 each year on the Prescott, Tonto, Coconino, Kaibab and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. During this restriction, people will still have full access to the national forests- just without campfires!
Locally, people started about one-third of the wildfires in the Coconino National Forest last year, or 86 of them (with lightning responsible for the rest). One Third of Our Wildfires could be prevented!
Millions of visitors to the national forests across the Mogollon Rim pose a significant threat if the USFS continues to let them have campfires in dispersed campsites during this time of most extreme wildfire danger. The Schultz and Wallow Fires are the most recent examples of failure to accurately forecast wildfire danger and initiate campfire bans.
Over a million acres of Arizona forests went up in flames last year. Make your voices count. Write your letters now!
TAKE ACTION: WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
Step 1 : View our Petition: Sent to Secretary of Agriculture
Step 2: Send a Bulk Email to USFS Supervisors – It’s Easy!
Step 3: If you have questions for Campfires Limited click here.
WHY SUPPORT AN ANNUAL 75 DAY CAMPFIRE BAN
— Decisions on fire restrictions would no longer need to be made on short notice, such as on very windy days.
— Standardized signs posted all season noting the dates of campfire restrictions would cost taxpayers less.
— The forests here are abnormally dense and prone to large wildfires compared to past centuries.
— Large wildfires aren’t healthy for the forests.
— The Forest Service lacks adequate staffing to patrol for all fires.
— Costs from firefighting and subsequent flooding in the Schultz area alone have topped $6 million.
— Many serious wildfires occurred when there were no restrictions in place or slightly ahead of restrictions.
TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT OUR FORESTS:
Send a Bulk Email Here or Write a Letter To
Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC 20250 agsec@usda.gov Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC 20250 ttidwell@fs.fed.us Corbin Newman, SW Regional Supervisor 333 Broadway S.E. Albuquerque, NM 87102 cnewman02@fs.fed.us Jim Zornes, Supervisor Apache-Sitgreaves NF PO Box 640 Springerville, AZ 85938 jzornes@fs.fed.us Reta Laford, Supervisor Tonto NF 2324 East McDowell Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85006 rlaford@fs.fed.us Michael Williams, Supervisor Kaibab NF 800 South 6th St. Williams, AZ 86046 mrwilliams01@fs.fed.us Earl Stewart, Supervisor Coconino NF 1824 S. Thompson St. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 estewart@fs.fed.us Betty Mathews, Supervisor Prescott NF 344 South Cortez St. Prescott, AZ 86303 bamathews@fs.fed.us
Campfire Etiquette
1. Be legal. Don’t have a campfire if the Forest Service has campfire restrictions in place.
2. Be observant. Look to see just how dry the forest vegetation actually is. Consider the risk of starting a wildfire. Northern Arizona’s forests are especially vulnerable to wildfire in the spring months before the monsoon rains become established.
3. Check the weather forecast. If wind is predicted or occurring, it might be the best decision to forego having a campfire at all.
4. Take safety precautions. Clear the area around the fire ring for any vegetation which could catch fire from a campfire spark.
5. Go small. There’s no need for a huge bonfire which will later be difficult to extinguish completely.
6. Be prepared. It takes six gallons of water to properly extinguish a small campfire. Always have a shovel and adequate water present at the campfire site.
7. Be clean. Unburnable trash should be packed out. Don’t leave cans, foil, etc. in your campfire ring. Be a “no trace” camper.
8. Be vigilant. Always have someone present to oversee the campfire. Never leave your campfire unattended.
9. Be safe. Make sure your campfire is dead out. Stir water thoroughly through the campfire with your shovel. When you are done, put your hands into the extinguished coals. There should be no heat present and no smoke or steam.
10. Be confident. Know for sure that your campfire could never start a wildfire, and that you won’t be the one whose carelessness caused the forest to go up in flames.