[pct-l] Nemo & the Trail

[CopyShip.Net]

L-Rod is right.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people think that they can 'get away'
with a camp fire despite bans to the contrary.  Often people will set off
from camp during the cool morning hours only to have their fire, which they
thought was out, start up again hours later when the day warms up, winds
pick up or humidity drops.

Here in Shasta County in August 2004 we saw similar with someone who decided
to mow in the afternoon despite red flag bans in place.  A number of
neighbors warned him, and still he persisted.  Twice he started small fires
which were stamped out by neighbors.  Then one got away.  Almost ten and a
half thousand acres on the edge of Shasta Lake were burned, eighty
residences were lost, and ten firefighters were injured.  The responsible
person now sits in jail for four years, and faces civil claims for $16.3m in
damages and $9.9m in fire suppression costs.

Of course, he had probably 'got away' with mowing many times before but you
have to be sure that you get away with it EVERY time or face the
consequences.  You only need to be caught once.  Four months on the trail or
four years in jail?  You choose.

Drew


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of dsaufley at sprynet.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 10:14 AM
To: Renee Patrick; pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Nemo & the Trail

[snip]

Personally, I was plainly shocked to hear from some hikers that they'd "had
a fire every night on the trail."  This is beyond comprehension for us,
living down here in an area where people have lost homes and lives to wild
fires, not to mention the wide swaths of destruction of once beautiful areas
that the trail passes through.  

[snip]