Hiking or Camping During Wildfire Season? Read This First

Intro & Storytime

The recent wildfires in California and South Carolina inspired me to write about wildfire safety while enjoying outdoor activities. Though snow still covers much of the country, summer is approaching, and people will soon be planning their travels. Due to climate change, wildfires are becoming more frequent, intense, and widespread.

Living in Oregon and Utah, I learned a lot about wildfires. I even Wrote a case study on wildfires and biomimicry applications during my master’s. After experiencing a close call with a wildfire in Oregon, I gained a new perspective on the dangers and importance of wildfire awareness.

A partner and I were camping at a lake in Umpqua National Forest when we noticed lightning in the distance. My partner remarked how a fire could follow. I assured him there probably wouldn’t be a fire (which I only assumed because I’m from VT and didn’t know anything about wildfires at the time). However, not too long after, helicopters and airtankers (the planes that drop water on fires) flew over us. Checking a fire tracker app on his phone, he saw a large fire, started by lightning, one mountain away from us, traveling in our direction. We scrambled to pack up camp and leave quickly because there was only one road in and out. If the fire hit that road, we would be trapped. As we finished packing, you could feel the heat in the breeze blowing through the area, and the sky became orange. He drove fast, yet skillfully down the turbulent road we had taken slowly before. Once we made it to the main road, we were okay.

This incident made the threat real for me. I didn’t know wildfires out west could easily start through heat lightning. I didn’t realize fires could move so fast. I never thought about the possibility of being caught up in one while I was outdoors. This shifted my way of thinking, increased my interest, and made me more conscientious about my fire safety habits. I want to share some of this knowledge with others to serve as a reminder or to educate others from less fire-prone places like me about how wildfires work and how to be safe during the season.

Understanding Wildfire Season

Wildfire season in the United States can start as early as May and last until November. Peak wildfire season occurs during the summer months, from June to August, when it is hottest and driest. In the 1950s, the season would last about five months, but now it is more typical to last 7 months, due to a handful of factors stemming from climate change.

Wildfires are actually a natural, necessary phenomenon. Plants and animals in the environments where they occur rely on these fires. For example, many animals eat the young sprouts that grow following a fire. Some pinecones are sealed closed with sap that only opens when the sap melts in a fire, and seeds are planted in the mineral-rich post-burn soil. Even salmon benefit when water hogging trees are gone and small landslides of ash and material run into the rivers providing shelter and nutrients.

Why wildfires are more common in certain areas

Wildfires thrive in areas that are hot and dry. This is why California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming suffer from the largest and most destructive wildfires.

Fuel is the word used to describe anything that burns. Dry fuel burns better and faster than moist fuel. Overgrown forests with dead leaves on the ground, trees, especially dead ones, dry brush and grasses, and fallen pine needles and sticks are all examples of fuel that boosts wildfires. Additional factors include patches of dead trees from pests, invasive species like cheatgrass, and drought events.

Driving through some states mentioned above, you may see large piles of sticks along roadways. These are cleared out of the forest as a form of management to prevent fuel build-up. Controlled burns are another way to reduce this fuel build-up. In the past, wildfires were prevented at all costs, but this only caused a larger build-up of fuels that wildfire cycles would normally burn up. It was determined that this made unpreventable wildfires even larger. So now we attempt to mimic the fire cycles in a controlled manner, a technique Native Americans had already been using for a long time.

Risks of Hiking and Camping During Wildfire Season

Air Quality Concerns:

Smoke can be experienced a great distance away from a wildfire. This can cause respiratory issues. I do not have asthma or anything, but I still have experienced discomfort and difficulty with breathing during wildfire season in smokey areas, like when I lived in Oregon.

Reduced visibility can be an annoying factor of wildfire smoke as well. I have missed out on some great views due to the smokiness of the area.

Fire Spread Risks:

Wildfires can spread up to 14.27 miles per hour. Knowing what contributes to the speed of a wildfire may prove useful, especially given that people underestimate the distances of fires.

• Pay attention to the weather before you visit the area. Has it been very hot and dry? As mentioned above, dry and dense vegetation can speed up the burn.
• Is it windy? Wind supplies the fire with oxygen and can push it along. Wind can also send embers through the air, which may cause additional fires where they land.
• Fire travels faster uphill and slower downhill. The smoke and heat of the fire rise uphill, which can dry out the fuel ahead of the fire moving up. The heat also causes cool air to rise up the hill, creating a wind that pushes the fire up the hill faster.  

The movement of a wildfire can be unpredictable. Several factors can cause it to slow down, speed up, or change direction. Pay attention to the terrain and winds for shifting information.

Risks of a Post-Burned Environment

Some areas may be closed off to driving or hiking due to a burn that has taken place. Even if it’s been years, it’s best to trust the experts and stay out of these areas.

The environment is very fragile after a wildfire passes through. Trees are more likely to fall over, especially if it is windy out. Without living vegetation to anchor the soil in place, erosion and landslides are more likely. Rain may increase this as well. Lastly, water moves through the ground more easily without vegetation to trap it, so flooding is more likely to occur.

How to Prepare for Hiking or Camping During Wildfire Season

Check Local Fire Conditions

Use websites like InciWeb, National Fire Danger Rating System, and National Interagency Fire Center to review the fire potential in different areas or to check the status of a current fire.

The non-profit app, Watch Duty, is my favorite way to monitor fires and advisories. Fires can change a lot in a short time, so you will want to keep an eye on them.

My location at the time and the nearby Iron Peak Fire in 2024 on the app, Watch Duty.

Always let someone know where you are going and your estimated completion time. Make sure to sign any trail registration booklets at the trail head. Carry a satellite GPS communications device and a paper map in case there is no service.

Tips for Hiking During Wildfire Season

Stick to Established Trails:

This isn’t the best time of year to get lost without established in and out points that you would need to use in case a wildfire springs up.

Know the Signs of Nearby Fire:

An obvious sign will be the visual of smoke, but smelling the fire can also cue you in to a wildfire in the area. I’ve usually smelled a fire before I’ve seen it. Even if you are not near a fire, breathing in the smoke is unhealthy, so this may not be the best time and place to be on a hike anyways. A sudden shift in wind direction can also accompany these other two signals when a wildfire is nearby.

I found out lightning is the number one natural cause of wildfires. Be vigilant after a storm, and if you have service, check for fire reports in the area. You may be the first to notice a fire, so it is important to call 911 and report it.

If you encounter a fire on your hike:

• If you become surrounded by smoke, identify the direction the smoke flows and follow that direction. The smoke will move away from the fire, and you should too.

• If you are behind the fire origin point or to the side of the fire, you’ll have a better chance of hiking away from it. These directions expand a bit slower than the head of the fire (the direction the fire is traveling).

• If you see a smoke column in the distance while hiking, keep an eye on it. Wind patterns could easily change and push a fire in your direction quickly.

• Utilize something bright or big (like a tent) to grab the attention of fire crews for rescue.

• Place yourself in an area with less vegetation. A rock field or meadow is better than a forest. Look for moist areas, too, such as swamps or lakes.

• Go into the water if a lake is nearby and try to find something to go behind, like a rock or island, to protect yourself from the radiant heat.

• Avoid being above the fire on an elevation since fire moves uphill. Try to find a flat area. However, a large rock field could be safer than a flat area with a lot of brush.

• Move to the side of a hill that the fire is not on since it will move uphill quickly and more slowly downhill on the other side.

• Avoid a chute or saddle that may channel flames. A saddle is the U-shaped portion between two mountain peaks. A chute is a “crease” in the mountain, resembling a slide at times.

• Keep lower to the ground where the air is less toxic from the smoke.

• Lay down behind something that will not catch fire immediately. Dig a hole and put your face in it for breathing. Cover yourself in dirt as a layer of protection.

Be Prepared to Turn Back:

If you see guidance to avoid an area or suspect a fire is nearby, turn back. It’s not worth the risk, and most likely, you can go another time. Better to be safe than sorry is a great mindset to have outdoors!

Tips for Camping During Wildfire Season

Campfire Safety:

Humans start roughly 90% of wildfires. We need to make the effort to be safer.

Don’t build a fire you can’t handle. It can be fun to get a big roaring fire going, but most of the time, this is unnecessary and dangerous during wildfire season. Consider the large embers flying out of the fire and landing elsewhere, potentially starting something. Instead, use a circle of rocks to mark your fire’s boundary and keep your fire contained in that space.

Most importantly, make sure your fire is completely out! I once had a fire restart on me, even after I poured a lot of water and stomped on it. I’ve read since that you should (carefully) touch the pit to make sure it is truly cool enough. Bring extra water with this scenario in mind.

Pay attention to posted signs and check current regulations for the area you are camping in before you arrive to know if there is a burn ban. Different days can have varying levels of fire hazard potential, so pay attention to the Fire Danger Level signs.

Have alternatives in mind

I have done my best to plan step-by-step trips, but there is no way to account for everything. I’ve learned to plan somewhat loosely, so if I need to skip something, I can easily jump to the next thing or go camp nearby for the night instead. I recommend this mindset while you plan because it is possible that a wildfire could interrupt your plans out of nowhere. Having a flexible mindset is key to exploring and stressing less!

Conclusion

Safety during wildfire season, especially in regions sensitive to fires, is critical. Climate change is increasing the factors that make wildfires start and take off. With this in mind, I believe it is important for people to be prepared with knowledge in case of a wildfire emergency. It’s surprising what seemingly unnecessary information comes in handy in the moment. I hope this post fills some minds with little nuggets of information to think back to if needed.

Follow the fire rules and regulations to the best of your ability, research before you head out, and maintain your situational awareness. And have fun!!