[Today’s Fire Danger Level: HIGH (No Marshmallows!)
Edelira Longinotti
Fire Restrictions help land management agencies reduce fire risk and prevent wildfires during periods of high or extreme fire danger. Fire restrictions often change quickly due to variable weather conditions
Fire Restrictions come in different stages and become more prohibitive with each stage. Most forests begin by implementing a Stage I Restriction. If conditions worsen, Stage II is implemented. There is no "Stage III" when conditions worsen further. Instead, a forest closure is usually the next step, in which case the public is not allowed to enter the boundaries of the national forest due to the fire danger.
We use 5 different color-coded levels to help the public understand fire potential. The purpose of this is for visitors to understand the current conditions and help mitigate their actions to prevent human-caused wildfires.
When the fire danger is Low, which is represented by the color green, it means that fuels do not ignite easily from small embers, but a more intense heat source, such as lightning, may start fires in duff or dry rotten wood. Fires in open, dry grasslands may burn easily a few hours after a rain, but most wood fires will spread slowly, creeping or smoldering. Control of fires is generally easy.
When the fire danger is Moderate, which is represented by the color blue, it means that fires can start from most accidental causes, but the number of fire starts is usually pretty low. If a fire does start in an open, dry grassland, it will burn and spread quickly on windy days. Most wood fires will spread slowly to moderately. Average fire intensity will be moderate except in heavy concentrations of fuel, which may burn hot. Fires are still not likely to become serious and are often easy to control.
When the fire danger is High, which is represented by the color yellow, fires can start easily from most causes, and small fuels (such as grasses and needles) will ignite readily. Unattended campfires and brush fires are likely to escape. Fires will spread easily, with some areas of high-intensity burning on slopes or concentrated fuels. Fires can become serious and difficult to control unless they are put out while they are still small.
When the fire danger is Very High, which is represented by the color orange, fires will start easily from most causes. The fires will spread rapidly and have a quick increase in intensity, right after ignition. Small fires can quickly become large fires and exhibit extreme fire intensity, such as long-distance spotting and fire whirls. These fires can be difficult to control and will often become much larger and longer-lasting fires.
When the fire danger is Extreme, which is represented by the color read, fires of all types start quickly and burn intensely. All fires are potentially serious and can spread very quickly with intense burning. Small fires become big fires much faster than at the Very High level. Spot fires are probable, with long-distance spotting likely. These fires are very difficult to fight and may become very dangerous and often last for several days or weeks
And the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek is having a little competition on Facebook for the best new marshmallow flavor. They want suggestions from people and the winning flavor will be added to their menu. Now, I KNOW that MY readers have the creativity and palate to wipe the competition off the page. Leave your flavor suggestion on the competition page and tell them use real butter sent you.
You have to be patient and let the marshmallow dry and solidify. I imagine in humid climates it can take as much as a day, but in my arid mountain air, it took a couple of hours. Peel the marshmallow layer out of the pan and cut it up into pieces. Coat the pieces in marshmallow powder, because they are really sticky, and shake off as much of the powder as you can.
cut the marshmallows
Mine is going to the lake most weekends and camping. We would cook by the fire at night and occasionally roast marshmallows. The food always tasted better there, especially early morning breakfast. You would hear and smell the bacon or sausage cooking!
My favorite summer food memory is swimming in the pool in my back yard, then eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that my mom cut into quarters, just the way I liked it. And then ice cream after that, of course.
As a child in North Michigan, summer by the lake would include dinner of a gigantic kettle of homemade sausage, corn on the cob, redskins, etc. over a fire. Plenty of beer for sure. 40 to 50 family members would show up. What a blast!
My favorite summer food memory is sharing some grilled mussles, steamed crabs and sweet corn with my grand family @ Nagshead while on family reunion vacation. The food always taste better when you surround with all the people you love
We came back to the States for summer vacations when I was a kid and I remember sitting on the plane anticipating blueberries and peaches and plain Cheerios and skim milk. (We could only get UHT or full-fat milk, ugh.)
Our annual family 4th of July BBQ. My Grandfather would grill steaks, my Grandmother would make some horrid green jello salad and the rest of the extended family would bring the usual pot luck dishes. But my favorite was the homemade vanilla ice cream that was churned in an old electric ice cream maker, the type that you had to put ice and salt around the canister. We would top the ice cream with fresh strawberries, it was so good!
My favorite summer food memory are the 4th of July pot lucks at the lake when I was a kid. I love pot lucks, and remembering all the eating, swimming, and playing, all while surrounded by family and friends, gives me a warm fuzzy every time.
favorite summer food memory: impromptu trips with my church buddies to our favorite hole in the wall taiwanese eatery. we would get pork chop or fried chicken with rice, stinky tofu, or ro gen mi fen, then finish off with boba milk tea w/ custard, or shaved ice w/ lots of condensed milk, pudding, mung bean, and aiyu jello !
My favorite summer food memory is a throwback to childhood: eating freshly grilled sausage (loaded with peppers and onions, of course!) and fried dough at the fair every summer in Vermont! Thanks for the drool-worthy photos, Jen!
I have a summer birthday (end of spring, whatever), and at my birthday parties when I was a kid, my mom would make me an ice cream cake. Then all my friends and I would participate in a messy cake eating contest, typically involving no hands, while my parents took pictures to blackmail us with later. Thanks for reminding me to think about it :)
I worked at a local ice cream shop called the Pied Piper when I was in high school. One of the (dangerous) perks was free ice cream. But I was young and not too concerned about eating right, so I thoroughly enjoyed those warm summer nights and delicious chocolate ice cream.
My favorite summer food would have to be- sliced tomotoes sprinkled with a little sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, corn on the cob and steamed lobsters. I grew up on the East coast and this is by far my most missed meal!
I remember as a young adult the first time I had 4th of July dinner with just my parents as my brother, sister, and I were all out of the house. We had grilled shrimp on rosemary skewers for the first time. It was such a fun, fragrant way to do shrimp kebabs.
My favorite summer memories are from the mid-west, growing up as a kid. We would stop by the produce stands on the side of the road and stock up on fresh tomatoes and corn. I always think of BLT sandwiches and corn on the cob for summer meals!
On a related note, I just took my Girl Scout Troop to the 100 Anniversary Exhibit at a local museum and their was a recipe there from 1920 for Some Mores! They even subbed out chocolate for pineapple as an alternative. Those smart Girl Scouts!
My favorite summer food memory is getting ice cream from the ice cream truck that would drive around our neighborhood on the really hot days with my sister. It was such a treat and we would make such a mess eating it!
My favourite summer food memory is my father bbqing anything and everything from turkey, salmon, veges to the trusty hamburger. He had secret recipes for various marinades that were just fabulous. Our home was always open to everyone, loved it.
Favorite summer food memory would have to be a fruit salad my aunt made. She carved a watermelon into the shape of a basket (with handle) and the fruit salad was served out of the basket. As a child, this was most fascinating!
My favorite summer food memories are eating sweet corn from the garden, picking wild blueberries from the woods, and standing around in the kitchen eating watermelon for dinner with my dad when it was too hot to cook!
Summers during my childhood were spent in Bombay, India where I was raised. Bombay summers are intensely hot and humid. My favorite food memory was licking shaved ice popsicles or kulfi (Indian ice cream) while waiting for my parents to come home after work. After that we would get together, have tea, eat biscuits (cookies!) and then prepare dinner :) Summer meals were always light and fun!
Favorite summer food memory: having a bonfire in the empty lot next to our house and feasting on watermelon. We spit the seeds right into the ground and felt quite wild! Then the next summer we found watermelons growing in the same lot. That was a hit.
The first summer we signed up for the CSA that grows food down the street from us in Boulder, we got more chard than we knew what to do with. My parents were out of town, so I invited a bunch of my friends over and made an all-vegetable dinner. We ate it on the porch and I got to enjoy seeing my more squeamish friends taste yellow green beans, chard salad, roasted beets, and blackened corn with spicy mayonnaise. It was probably the most beautiful meal I have ever made, and one of the most delicious.
Favorite summer food memory = family + church camping trip, where we got to roast our own hot dogs for dinner over the fire, and then there was a DESSERT TABLE afterwards, where every family brought something to share. For someone with a sweet tooth, an entire table of desserts to choose from (or taste every one of) was the best part of the entire summer. :)
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