Labor Day Vacation: It’s All Fun & Games Until Somebody’s House Burns Down

Labor Day weekend in our hometown of Boulder, Colorado is amazing. The weather is crisp and clear, there’s a festival by the creek, and people come from far and wide to do fun things like biking, camping and going to weddings. This year, however, something happened that was definitely no fun at all: an enormous forest fire started in the hills west of town that ended up burning several thousand acres and a yet-to-be determined number of houses. A beautiful holiday weekend quickly turned into a tragedy for thousands of people.

While the cause of the fire is still unknown, it is certainly true that the number of people who like to spend Labor Day weekend camping and having barbecues raises the risk of fire all over the country, but especially in more arid areas like Boulder. Strong, gusty winds in Colorado on Monday also didn’t help, as the firefighters struggled to get the blaze under control and the tanker planes had to wait until the wind died down enough for them to safely fly over the flames. Overall, the fire danger was very high this weekend in Boulder, and risk factors combined to create a potentially deadly situation.

On any vacation that involves camping, grilling, or another outdoor activity that may potentially involve flames, please make sure to stay safe and follow all the rules! Camp fires are great, but if they’re not allowed, bring a stove to cook and sing songs to keep warm. If they are allowed, make sure to keep your fire small and under control. Although you can of course record all your travel photos and stories on Everlater where they will be safe online forever, nobody wants to lose old photos and memories stored in their home to the flames of an out-of-control blaze. More importantly than old memories and houses, though, the lives of the animals and people that live in the nearby forest depend on you to be responsible every time you enjoy a vacation in the great outdoors.

Be safe, and happy travels!