Human Negligence Leads to Bitterroot Forest Restrictions

The Bitterroot National Forest will be going under stage one fire restrictions this weekend, meaning that campfires will only be allowed in designated Forest Service fire rings.

The sad fact about this fire restriction is that it had to be called because of human behavior. Over the weekend three campfires were left unattended and on Monday, yet another fire was found that was stopped only after crews and a helicopter were called in to abate it.

This is in contrast to what seemed to be a positive turn last months when human caused fires were at a relative low.

In the following audio, Bitterroot National Forest spokesman Todd McKay explains why the fire restrictions were called and what they mean to campers: