Since humans started to control fire thousands of years ago, things have been a lot easier for the species: we’ve been able to cook our food, scare away predators and keep ourselves warm at night and in the winter. Of course, as much as fire has been a boon for civilization, it also has an incredibly destructive side as well; here in Canada, we are lucky to get to experience the majesty of nature and a wide variety of flora, and we need to make sure that we respect this element of our habitat by taking care not to burn it down.
This time of year is pretty busy when you’re a professional arborist in Edmonton or Calgary, since all the deciduous trees come alive and demand attention. Here in Alberta, with all of the beautiful forests, mountains and national park-lands available to us, we love to go camping and embark on canoe trips in the summer. Something that goes along with camping in the forest is campfires. Even if you live in the city of Edmonton, there are numerous fire pits you can take advantage of to get that campfire feel without leaving the city.
Here at Chipps Tree Care, we love camping just as much as anyone else, and if we’re as strict about fire safety as Smokey the Bear, it’s only because it breaks our hearts to see the gorgeous forests of this fair province devastated by wildfires. Last year, for example, we saw one of the most brutal disasters in our province’s history when a fire ripped through Fort McMurray and the surrounding area, destroying over two thousand houses and buildings in addition to many acres of trees.
While we are pleased to offer you tree pruning help this summer and deep root fertilization to help your green space thrive, we are equally concerned with educating our clients and making sure that people respect nature and understand how much of an impact they can have on it.
Here are several easy tips that are often forgotten:
Always look up fire ban info for your city: Last year, even as the Fort McMurray fire was blazing and a fire ban was in effect due to the dry, hot weather, over a hundred incidents were reported of folks using fire pits. This is incredibly insensitive and shortsighted. Of course you want to have fun in the summer months, but you also need to look at the big picture and understand when you might be putting others at risk. If the province has issued a fire ban, there’s a good reason.
Follow these common sense rules: If there is no fire ban, then there are still several things to take into consideration. If it’s a very gusty night, you could always reschedule the fire; the wind has a tendency to carry flame into the trees. Never leave the fire unattended; if someone is watching it, then it’s easier to control if it starts getting out of hand.
Make sure cigarettes are completely extinguished: It is estimated that up to ten thousand fires a year are started by unextinguished cigarettes in Canada alone. If you’re stubbing out your cigarette, make sure that the flame is completely extinguished; better yet, if you fill a can or bottle halfway up with water, you can simply drop your butt in without having to worry.
If you need seasoned professionals to help out with stump removal services or an all out tree removal this summer, or if you need an arborist to come and give your trees a little TLC, give us a call! And also remember, trees are living things and enrich our lives by providing oxygen, beauty and many other wonderful things. Don’t be irresponsible, consider the greater good when lighting up a campfire this summer.
