Friday, August 1, 2014

Wildfires are Not a Laughing Matter - Simple Tips for OHV Recreationists


With wildfires burning throughout the West, QWR wants to remind OHV enthusiasts to follow the recommendations from the BLM and other land management agencies to… “Never park a vehicle over dead grass; the catalytic converter can ignite the vegetation…”

2012 Mill Fire Impacts to OHV Staging Area

 QWR also strongly supports the proper use of a well-maintained USDA Forest Service Approved spark arrestor when operating an OHV on public lands.

Link to Forest Service Spark Arrestor Guide

Another suggestion for operating an OHV during the fire season is for the operator to remove any vegetation that has gotten trapped in the vehicle frame or body.  Our land management friends in Canada produced a short and informative video about the need to rid our vehicles from any buildup of dead grass or other vegetative debris when out on the trail.

ESRD Alberta Canada PSA

QWR believes that OHVs can be operated safely during the summer months if riders and operators follow many of the common sense regulations and guidelines that will help prevent wildfires and allow us to continue our recreational activities on public lands.

4 comments:

  1. Cheva Gabor, U.S. Forest ServiceAugust 1, 2014 at 2:07 PM

    Thanks for posting this, Don! It's critical information with the extremely high fire danger as the drought wears on.We appreciate you spreading the word.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cheva, thanks for the comment. There are a lot of new OHVers out there and many of them just are not aware of these fire safe tips.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike Mitchell, USFS RetiredAugust 4, 2014 at 9:17 AM

    Good stuff Don. I appreciate you getting this important message out to the OHV community

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mike Mitchell, USFS RetiredAugust 4, 2014 at 9:18 AM

    Good stuff Don. Thanks for getting this important message out to the OHV community

    ReplyDelete