Summer is full of outdoor recreation opportunities, from hiking and camping to swimming and fishing; there’s something for everyone to enjoy. However beautiful our outdoor scenery may be, it can turn ugly and dangerous quickly, so we urge everyone to exercise caution and be prepared for any emergencies that could occur.

Of course, there are the obvious steps such as carrying a first aid kit, bear spray and search beacons — but sometimes the risks are right in our own backyard and don’t appear too dangerous.

On Saturday, Christine Fairbourn, 26, originally from Lyman, drowned in an irrigation canal on Lane 16 between Powell and Cody, according to the Park County Sheriff’s Office. She had left a barbecue, with her dog running alongside her truck, less than a half-hour before her body was found. Dog prints and human footprints were found on the edge of the canal near her vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Office said Sunday that it appeared Fairbourn may have gone into the canal to rescue her dog. Her tragic death is a reminder of how dangerous irrigation canals are. Water in the canal can move rapidly, and the current can fluctuate and become very strong in certain areas.

Also last week, two hikers got lost in Grand Teton National Park on the evening of June 30, leading to the park’s first major search-and-rescue effort of the year.

The Floridian hikers, Michael Kramer, 27, and Tiffany Morhaim, 26, were on a day hike in Cascade and Paintbrush canyons when they ventured off trail and found themselves lost in Leigh Canyon, according to the National Park Service. Fortunately, they brought a satellite personal locator device and were able to use it to call for help multiple times, allowing search parties to track their movement and know that they were likely uninjured, according to the National Park Service.

The rescue crew was unable to reach the hikers until 10 a.m. the next day, and the hikers hadn’t prepared for a potential overnight stay. Packing for hiking trips is tricky since you’ve got to carry everything, but it’s better to be prepared rather than to have a slightly lighter backpack.

The National Park Service urges hikers to be prepared to spend the night, even if that’s not the plan — and we agree. It’s easy to get lost, stuck or injured while out hiking, so adding a few essential items can turn a scary experience into more of a setback than a dangerous situation.

Carrying extra food, a flashlight, map, water purifier or extra water and tools for building a small campfire won’t add much weight on your back and could lift the burden of worrying off your shoulders.

Sometimes rescues are needed in familiar territory, such as on June 19 in the Buffalo Bill Reservoir when two teenagers found themselves stranded on an island near the Lower Southfork Road.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the teens swam to the island several hundred feet from shore and were unable to return back due to windy conditions and exhaustion. This is why we urge everyone, regardless of age, to be aware of physical limits and the area’s ever-changing weather conditions — and wear a life jacket when on the reservoir.

A life jacket can protect you from drowning, but it doesn’t prevent stranded situations, such as the rafters who found themselves stuck along the North Fork of the Shoshone River on June 24.

Two of the rafters had minor injuries after a Boy Scout raft flipped near an area known as “Devil’s Elbow,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Search and Rescue found that 10 of the victims had taken shelter under a rock ledge and the remaining victims were swept approximately a quarter-mile downstream.

Luckily nobody drowned in either of these emergency situations and everyone was rescued. Medical personnel at the scene of the raft accident credited the use of personal safety gear for preventing further injuries.

It’s important to understand the risks involved in enjoying the outdoors and prepare for anything that could go wrong. Whether it’s on foot or in the water, play it safe while having fun.