Top state firefighting officials held a news conference recently where they described an average risk of wildfires through the early part of the summer but a greater concern as the calendar slides into July, August and September.

While that news may not seem all that concerning to area residents, the fact portions of our forest could be quite dry by late summer should generate more than passing interest.

The key, as always, will be how area residents perform while they enjoy our forests. In short, we need to be careful out in the woods in terms of fire. Human-caused fires continue to haunt fire managers across the Northwest. A large number of blazes erupt every year throughout Eastern Oregon because of human miscues. The frustrating part of that scenario is that almost all human-caused fires can be prevented.

Add drought conditions to the paradigm and the ingredients for a major wildfire are present throughout the region.

It is too easy to divert wildfire awareness to agencies tasked with extinguishing big blazes, but the local community has a critical role to play as well. That role boils down to basic common sense while camping or hiking our great forests during the hot summer months.

It also means paying close attention to fire danger bulletins officials issue so a resident will know just how much risk there is.

In a tangible way, the responsibility for wildfires rests firmly with those who camp and visit our forests in Eastern Oregon. Visitors should understand what safety measures they can take to ensure they do not spark a blaze through carelessness.

Wildfires gobble millions in public dollars every year. Forest fires also cause damage to ecosystems, buildings and vehicles, and they can hurt people.

While no one can control the weather or how many lightning strikes hit our area each week, we can be responsible when we are out in the woods, enjoying the beautiful vistas our region offers.

Often wildfire vigilance is an easy problem to solve while camping. Mainly using common sense, each of us can ensure that we are not the cause of a forest fire that burns thousands of acres of timberland.

We live in one of the most beautiful areas in the state. Our forests, when carefully managed, are wonderlands that deserve to be preserved.

So as summer approaches, be sure to take the necessary precautions while enjoying nature. Remember, it takes only one errant spark to start a wildfire.