One concern along eclipse path: Wildfires - KOIN6

 

One concern along eclipse path: Wildfires - KOIN6

“With that many people potentially gathering on our public lands it could leave a significant mark,” said Traci Weaver with the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forestry Service. “We are asking people to follow the ‘leave no trace standards,’ to pack it in and pack it out.”

Weaver suggested eclipse watchers be very careful using any fire-starting device and to make sure campfires are completely extinguished. And she suggested you know what resources are there once you get to your spot.

“There isn’t a gas station for miles and miles, there isn’t water for miles and miles, so know what is around and be prepared.”
Both the Forest Service and the BLM want everyone to be on their best behavior. But they’re also providing extra knowledge for people.

“One of the things that we are trying to do here in Oregon is to help prepare for all the visitors we are going to have by adding extra fire education out there for those people who are viewing the eclipse,” said Lauren Maloney, a fire mitigation and education specialist with the BLM. “People might not know when they pull over and park on dry grass they can spark a wildfire.”
Both Maloney and Weaver want people to be “extra aware” and to prepare for “different scenarios that could happen.”

An extra layer of concern is there will be a lot of people in forestland during the eclipse. That means it may take extra time for firefighters to get to any wildfire that flare up.

“You can’t expect to get from Point A to Point B on a normal timeline if you’re in the path of totality, that prime area for viewing the eclipse. It will take extra time,” Maloney said. “If there are emergencies, if people are injured or wildfire events, emergency vehicles are going to need access.

People need to be aware and pay attention to emergency vehicles and pull over, not on dry grass, and let emergency vehicles get through.”