Forest Service advises people to be Bear Aware in the outdoors this summer

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The summer season means trips to the mountain where families can enjoy fishing, picnicking and camping in the Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. U.S. Forest Service Communications Director Kathy Jo Pollock says summer time also means that bears are on the move.

There have been recent sightings of black bears along the Wasatch Front. For the safety of the public and bears, the U.S. Forest Service is encouraging campers and visitors to practice Bear Aware safety while visiting the forest.

Pollock sites several simple things people can do to avoid encounters with bears: keep a clean camp, keep food scraps and trash out of the campsite, cook and store food away from your sleeping area, do not eat in your tent, and when hiking or walking in the woods travel in a group if possible.

If you encounter a bear, Pollock says, do not run. Make loud noises and hit two rocks together repeatedly. She says people can stay safe by staying on marked trails and obeying the regulations of the area they are in.

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