The Labor Day Holiday has always been viewed as the last hooray of summer and many outdoor enthusiasts run up to the mountains to camp or just to enjoy the day on the lake. Carbon County Sheriff Jeff Wood always likes to share safety tidbits with residents before the hustle and bustle of a long holiday weekend.

“It just depends on where you are playing. If you are out in the sand dunes that’s always a risk; you know if you are the mountains just keep an eye out for other people; boating, make sure you are being safe in the water,” said Sheriff Wood. “In town I know a lot of people are riding their street bikes around it’s one of the last rides of the summer so keep an eye out for the motorcycles.” An accident is never planned so never take risks and have a “safety first” mindset no matter the activity you will be involved in this weekend.

If you are camping as your holiday activity be sure check with the U.S. Forest Service to know what or if any fire restrictions are set in place. “We’ve had some moisture, we’ve gotten a little bit of rain storms and stuff in our mountains but it’s still a dry, fire danger out there, careful with campfires and things,” explained Wood. The weather can be unpredictable with wind gusts picking up without warning, so use caution with any campfire if it is indeed allowed.

Speaking of weather, any hikers that plan to hit the trail this weekend should be careful too as Wood explains, “If you are a hiker and you are in those slot canyons or dry washes and there is storm clouds in the distance, be aware you could be in a flood zone, you know it happens fast.” Hikers should immediately retreat to higher ground to wait out the storm and never cross running water can be very unpredictable and deceiving.

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.