by H. Paul Gray
Harney County Emergency Manager
for the Burns Times-Herald

As travelers come into our area, we want them to enjoy themselves, travel around safely, see the sights within our county, meet new friends, eat at our restaurants, and just have a good time.

However, we don’t want anyone getting hurt or starting a wildfire.

Be safe in your travels and understand we may be a large county, but we are small-community minded. Our roads are not I-5 through downtown Portland, so any number of vehicles on the road will clog up the roads very quickly here. We are expecting upwards of 20,000 extra people coming through our area. Be patient. Be kind. Be understanding. If you want to see the total eclipse up in Grant County, leave early. The morning of the eclipse, many will want to go up to Grant County to see it, so expect traffic.

On another similar note, we are in fire season. If you are going to smoke, do so in your vehicles or in a building. Do not throw a lit cigarette or any other burning materials from a vehicle or outside a building. Also, park on bare sand, dirt, cinders, or gravel. DO NOT PARK ON GRASS OR SAGEBRUSH! Your hot exhaust can, and will, catch fire. Our county just went through a 52,000-acre fire, and we don’t want anyone getting hurt because of a careless mistake. Please help us keep everyone, resident and traveler, safe during this eclipse. If you see a fire, please report it immediately, and leave the area. Fire can spread rapidly in sage country.

Think smart; be safe!