Forest officials on both sides of the Columbia are urging people to take extra care to avoid sparking fires on federal forestland this weekend.
Brad Siemens with the Mt. Hood National Forest says this time of year always brings high fire danger, but there's another factor putting strain on responders.
"It's been a pretty dry season, as you know, there's been heavy fire activity across America. What that does is draws resources we would normally have in Oregon and Washington out across the country."
Siemens recommends all the usual common-sense precautions. He also suggests keeping campfires in existing fire rings, and making sure firewood fits within those rings. He says if a fire is too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave without dousing.
Siemens says people can be held financially responsible for the cost of fighting forest fires, even if the fire resulted from negligence.
