By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer in southern Arizona, and with it comes an increased risk of wildfires.
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As more people begin heading up into the mountains, officials want them to remember the importance of camping safety and leaving nature as they found it.
“My son loves catching the crawfish, so we’ve come out here for that as well, just to spend some family time, enjoy the nature, outdoors,” said Juan Rivera, a Mount Lemmon visitor.
According to Starr Farrell, Public Affairs Officer for the Coronado National Forest, Memorial Day weekend kicks off their busiest time of the year, with thousands coming up to Mount Lemmon to fish, hike, and camp.
“If you’re seeing those pine trees, you’re probably seeing a lot of your friends too,” Farrell said.
Fire prevention tips
With the forest facing a high fire risk due to an ongoing drought, Farrell said it’s important people remain mindful while on the mountain and avoid creating a spark.
“Those can be things that you may not think about, like if you’re driving down the highway and you’ve hooked up your RV or your trailer, and that chain is hitting the ground, that can cause a spark,” Farrell said.
She said things like throwing out cigarette butts, parking your car in dry grass, and not fully putting out campfires can also cause a spark.
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While visitors are reminded of these tips, she said the Forest Service sends search units out on Memorial Day weekend to help prevent any fires from starting.
“What they’re doing is they are driving around with bags of water and checking campfire rings and looking around to see if there’s any extra heat somewhere so they can respond to it,” Farrell said.
The Coronado National Forest doesn’t currently have any fire restrictions in place, which Farrell said is largely due to the behavior of their visitors.
“Our people who visit here do such a great job of making sure they put out their fires and that they aren’t creating that spark,” Farrell said.
If you happen to see a fire spark or accidentally start one yourself, Farrell said it’s best to try putting it out on your own. If that doesn’t work, she said, don’t hesitate to call 911 immediately.
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