A group of teenagers was required to clean up hundreds of pounds of nails after leaving an unattended pallet fire at the Short Pine Off-Highway Vehicle Area west of Glendive.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, a nearby landowner spotted a fire during the summer and discovered teenagers gathered around burning wooden pallets. The group fled, leaving the fire unattended.
The landowner contacted law enforcement, who identified the teenagers. Following an investigation, the teens admitted responsibility and were required to help clean up the area as part of their restitution.
The cleanup resulted in the removal of approximately 440 pounds of nails, filling several five-gallon buckets. The nails came from burned pallets left by the group and previous visitors.
Nails left behind by pallet fires pose a hazard to off-highway vehicles and can cause flat tires.
The agency reminds visitors not to burn pallets on public land and to fully extinguish campfires before leaving, particularly during wildfire season.
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Photo: Stock from Pixabay
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