SAFETY

Know Before You Go: Camping & Hiking Safety

A perfect outdoor excursion comes with good preparation. From bears to ticks, the outdoors can be dangerous if not prepared. Remember to pack the safety essentials even before pitching your tent or hitting the trail. At Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, we got you covered with the necessary gear, guides, and expert tips for a safe and fun time in the outdoors.

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A video by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Canada Pro Staff, Matt Balcombe


Wildfire Safety Tips

Safety should be your top-most priority when camping in a wildfire prone area. Wildfires are hazardous and unpredictable, which is why it is essential to take necessary precautions.

Here is a list of things you should do before leaving to your camping trip:

  1. Always Have a Backup Plan: Stay flexible and be prepared to take your trip to another location or postpone it if necessary. Choose a destination with multiple roads or trails in and out of the area. It's better to opt for a staycation than to head into a stressful environment that you won't be able to enjoy.
  1. Do Your Research: Conduct thorough research before departing for your camping trip. Check for wildfire forecasts, weather conditions, and air quality index. When you arrive at your destination, reach out to the local land manager for updated information on fires, road closures, or trails. It's advisable to leave a detailed trip plan with your friends or family in case of an emergency.
  2. Pack Essentials: While you don't need to pack an emergency fire suit, it's worth considering packing a few items such as a signal mirror to flash three times (a universal distress call), a satellite messenger, medications, an emergency kit, and a radio. These items can come in handy in case of an emergency.
How to Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke

If you encounter hazy skies, know that smoke and ash can come from far away and not to panic at first sight. Learn to read smoke signals at any position to help you respond better and make tactical decisions.

General Guidelines to Read Wildfire Smoke

Smoke Column & Velocity: A smoke column is partially burned debris, particulates, and hot air that is pushed up into the air by the heat of a fire. The speed of the smoke can also indicate the fire's intensity. If you see the smoke column growing rapidly, it's time to evacuate.

Smoke Colour: This will be a visible shade of the spectrum that can help you determine the location and the behaviour of the fire.

  • Red/orange sky and dark smoke: If you see the sky turning red or orange, and there is thick, dark smoke in the area, it indicates a dangerous and fast-moving fire. You should evacuate immediately.
  • Brown/grayish-brown smoke: This indicates that the fire is burning in a densely forested area or where there is significant moisture in the vegetation. It may not be spreading actively, but the smoke may still prove to be a threat.
  • Black smoke: This type of smoke suggests a high-intensity fire and combustion of heavy fuels like organic matter and wood. This kind of smoke can be a potential danger as it often produces soot, which can be harmful when inhaled.
  • White smoke: This suggests finer and fast-burning fuels such as grass and they usually burn for short periods.

Wildfire smoke direction and drift

The direction that a smoke column bends indicates the direction the fire is moving. So, head the other way if possible.

Wildfire smoke density

This refers to the thickness of the smoke. The thicker it is, the poorer the visibility, and it's an indication of significant fire. Thick or optically dense smoke can lead to a hostile fire event and rapid-fire spread. High-density smoke can also affect air quality and cause respiratory issues.
6 Ways to Protect Yourself from Wildfire Flames

Wildfires could spread fast and pose a threat to your safety. Ensure you are vigilant and keep an eye out for wildfires when you are on your camping trip.

  1. If you see flames, go in the opposite direction. It is ideal to travel in a direction that can take you away from it.
  2. Fire goes faster uphill than downhill unless you are near the crest and can quickly go to a safer location.
  3. A rising smoke column that is nearing you or you get smoked out suddenly, it’s time to move out.
  1. In case the fire is getting closer to you, look for an area that has little fuel (flat land with little or no vegetation) to feed the fire.
  2. If you are camping or hiking in fire-prone areas and see a lot of dry lightning (flashes of light but no rain), it is a sign to leave.
  3. It’s a good strategy to move to an already blackened earth as the fire is headed away from you. However, watch out for the possibility of falling trees and hot ash pockets.

Shop Safety & Survival

Shop Safety & Survival

Bear Safety

Bears may appear cute and cuddly, but they can pose a real danger to humans while enjoying the outdoors. There are several things you can do to minimize your risk of encountering a bear, including bear-proofing your campsite. Knowing what to do in case you come across a bear will help you save your life.

Learn Bear Safety

Learn Bear Safety

Beat Ticks with These Tricks

Ticks hang out in tall grasses.

Wear plain, light-coloured protective clothing, stay on the trail, and check exposed skin frequently for ticks. Using insecticides or tick-repellant spray may be helpful, and always perform a check on your clothes, shoes, shoestrings, backpacks, camping gear and trekking poles before getting into your car.

Once home, put your washable gear on the hot water cycle. Ticks survive in moist environments, so ensure your clothing is dry before packing them up.

Pro-tip: Protect your bare skin by tucking your trousers into your socks and shoes.

How to treat a tick bite

You should be careful while treating a tick bite.

  • Wear gloves and use a pair of clean tweezers to remove ticks.
  • Place the tick in an airtight plastic bag filled with alcohol.
  • Clean the affected area with rubbing alcohol or soap and warm water.
  • Use an ice pack for 15-20 minutes to reduce the swelling.
  • Place a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
  • Take antihistamines or itch-relief gels to reduce the swelling, itching and redness.
  • Visit a doctor immediately to prevent severe infections.
How to remove ticks from your dogs

Don’t let the bad bugs bite! Here are a few ways to inspect your dog for ticks:

  • Inspect your dog closely after spending a day camping or hiking.
  • Run your hands along your dog to feel any small bumps or lumps and look for dark spots.
  • If you find a tick, remove it using a pair of tweezers or a tick remover.
  • After disposing of the tick, clean the affected area with an antiseptic.
  • Clean the tools with rubbing alcohol. Visit your vet if you need help.

Pro-tip: Check under your dog’s collar, inside their ears, under legs, tail and between the toes for ticks.

Poison Ivy Education:
Identification, Symptoms, Prevention, Protection, Remedies

You can find Poison Ivy in all provinces of Canada except Newfoundland. It is a perennial plant that grows as a climbing or straggling woody vine on stony, sandy, or rocky shores and sprouts in thickets, roadsides, in clearings and along the borders of wood.
Poison Ivy: Beyond the Basics

Identification

To identify poison ivy, remember, “leaves of three, leave them be.” Poison ivy and poison oak have three reddish-green or green leaflets per leaf with flowering branches on a single stem. Identifying poison ivy can be tricky depending on the season, region, growth cycle and climate. During autumn, these plants produce green or off-white fruits and sometimes black dots. For instance, in the east of the Rocky Mountains, poison ivy grows as a climbing vine and in the northern and western areas (in the United States), it grows as shrubs.

Symptoms and Effects

After encountering either poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac, around 50% of people develop symptoms of poison ivy dermatitis.

Signs and symptoms include:

  • Skin swelling
  • Blisters
  • Skin redness
  • Intense itching

These symptoms develop within four hours to four days after exposure to urushiol (a resinous oil found in the leaves, roots and stems of poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak).

Note: Poison ivy dermatitis is not contagious and cannot be passed from one person to another.

Rash Prevention and Protection

Your skin gets irritated if it encounters poisonous plants.

  • Resin and oils can be carried on pets, clothing, and fingernails. Avoid it with protective clothing: long sleeves and pants.
  • Wear heavy-duty vinyl gloves while gardening or doing yard work as the oil from the plants seep through rubber or latex gloves.
  • Remove contaminated clothing immediately and wash under hot water with dishwashing liquid or soap. Hang the clothes outside for several days.
  • Wash your entire body at least three times in hot or warm water while wiping in one direction only. It helps reduce irritation and remove oils.

Note: The Government of Canada recommends avoiding burning poison ivy. It releases poison into the air, and if inhaled, a severe reaction can happen.

Treatment and Remedies

Poison ivy dermatitis generally resolves in one to three weeks without treatment. However, treatment helps with any discomfort, itching, and soreness. The Academy of Dermatology Association recommends using:

  • Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream.
  • Applying cool compresses.
  • Consider taking antihistamine pills to reduce itching.
  • If the rash is infected, checking with a dermatologist or a doctor would be ideal.

Note: Avoid scratching to prevent infection and leave blisters alone.

Professional Help

See a doctor if you have the following:

  • Difficulty in breathing.
  • Have a temperature above 37.7 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • The rash is widespread and severe: spreads to your eyes, mouth, and genital area or covers more than 1/4th of your skin area.
  • Pus, tenderness on the rash or soft yellow scabs.

Note: Avoid scratching to prevent infection and leave blisters alone.

Remember, the key to any successful camping trip is planning and preparation. Be sure to create a checklist of the items you think you will need, so that once you’re out in the bush you can kick back, relax and enjoy.

Happy Camping!