Staying Safe In Utah's Great Outdoors
May 25, 2021, 11:52 AM | Updated: 11:53 am
BY DAN SPINDLE, KSL TV
SALT LAKE CITY — The school year is coming to an end and vacations are on the horizon for a lot of Utahns.
It's a cause for celebration and a huge cause for concern for those who take care of our public lands.
"People are anxious to get out. The weather is great. People want to go places and enjoy themselves, so we do expect to have another increase in visitation this year," said Maureen Brooks with the U.S. Forest Service.
Brooks said they saw a huge increase in visitors to public lands last year, and that's a good thing.
They want people to explore our beautiful national and state parks and forests — but with great beauty comes great responsibility.
There are some great tips to keep us all safe on beoutdoorsafe.org, and since nine out of 10 wildfires are human-caused, we can actually control how much damage is done to our landscape.
One: Know before you go, meaning educate ourselves on the rules and regulations to enjoy the corner of the state or the country where we're headed.
Two: Have backup plans, like when parking lots at Arches or Zion national parks fill up by 9 a.m.
Be aware of closures for trash and restroom services and know the campfire restrictions as well, considering this summer's extreme drought conditions.
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