By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – 
With the start of deer hunting season this past weekend, thousands of sportsmen are taking to Missouri's woods.
That concerns forestry officials and firefighters, who say the increased human presence in the wilds raises the risk of forest fires. Climate conditions keep Missouri's forests safe from the type of widespread blazes seen recently in southern California.
Nevertheless, officials are warning homeowners in forested areas to take precautions to reduce their chances of falling victim to wildfire. KWMU's Kevin Lavery prepared this report.