KALISPELL — Flathead County fire officials are asking the public to help them prevent human-caused fires.
Flathead County Fire Area Manager Lincoln Chute says that in the past six days fire officials responded to 12 human-caused fires.
Compared to years past, he explained that he was shocked at the number of human-caused fires this early into the fire season.
Fire danger is high in the Flathead Valley and he says you can help prevent them.
Chute says don't idle a car with a hot pipe in tall grass, completely distinguish campfires and don't throw cigarettes into the dry grass.
"The last week kinda caught us off guard to have that amount of human caused fires," said Chute. "It's pretty simple, campfires are always a problem. It's pretty simple, you gotta put water on them, you gotta stir them. You gotta put your hand down in there to make sure it's not still hot."
Chute says lifting trailer chains off the ground will prevent sparks from igniting.
Those sparks could start a fire if it comes in contact with dry debris.
