WHAT IS A WILDLAND FIRE?
There are three different classes of
wildland fires. A surface fire is the most common type and burns along the
floor of a forest, moving slowly and killing or damaging trees. A ground
fire is usually started by lightning and burns on or below the forest floor.
Crown fires spread rapidly by wind and move quickly by jumping along the
tops of trees. Wildland fires are usually signaled by dense smoke that fills
the area for miles around.
DANGER ZONES
Danger zones include all wooded,
brush, and grassy areas--especially those in Kansas, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, Tennessee, California, Massachusetts, and
the national forests of the western United States.
WILDLAND FIRES
The threat of wildland fires for
people living near wildland areas or using recreational facilities in
wilderness areas is real. Advance planning and knowing how to protect
buildings in these areas can lessen the devastation of a wildland fire.
BEFORE A FIRE
Learn and teach safe fire practices.
Have disaster supplies on hand:
Develop an emergency communication plan.
In case family members are separated from one another during a wildland fire
(a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are
at school), have a plan for getting back together. Ask an out-of-state
relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's
often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone knows the name,
address, and phone number of the contact person.
Fire-Resistant Building Materials
Avoid using wooden shakes and shingles for a roof. Use tile, stucco, metal
siding, brick, concrete block, rock, or other fire-resistant materials. Use
only thick, tempered safety glass in large windows and sliding glass doors.
Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross
chapter for more information on wildland fires.
DURING A WILDLAND FIRE
Turn on a battery-operated radio to
get the latest emergency information.
Remove combustible items from around the house.
Lawn and poolside furniture
Umbrellas
Tarp coverings
Firewood
Take action to protect your home.
Take down flammable drapes and curtains and close all Venetian blinds or
noncombustible window coverings.
Close all doors and windows inside your home to prevent draft.
Close gas valves and turn off all pilot lights.
Turn on a light in each room for visibility in heavy smoke.
Place valuables that will not be damaged by water in a pool or pond.
If hoses and adequate water are available, leave sprinklers on roofs and
anything that might be damaged by fire.
Be ready to evacuate all family members and pets when fire nears or when
instructed to do so by local officials.
If Trapped in a Wildland Fire
You cannot outrun a fire. Crouch in a
pond or river. Cover head and upper body with wet clothing. If water is not
around, look for shelter in a cleared area or among a bed of rocks. Lie flat
and cover body with wet clothing or soil. Breathe the air close to the
ground through a wet cloth to avoid scorching lungs or inhaling smoke.
AFTER A WILDLAND FIRE
Take care when re-entering a burned
wildland area. Hot spots can flare up without warning.
Check the roof immediately and extinguish any sparks or embers.
Check the attic for hidden burning sparks.
For several hours afterward, re-check for smoke and sparks throughout the
home.
Mitigation
Mitigation includes any activities
that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening, or
lessen the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies. Investing in
preventive mitigation steps now such as installing a spark arrestor on your
chimney, cleaning roof surfaces and gutters regularly, and using only fire
resistant materials on the exterior of your home, will help reduce the
impact of wildland fires in the future. For more information on mitigation,
contact your local emergency management office.
DID YOU KNOW...
More than four out of every five
forest fires are started by people. Negligent human behavior such as smoking
in forested areas or improperly extinguishing campfires are the cause of
many fires. The other cause of forest fires is lightning.
A prescribed fire is a fire that is purposely ignited by land management
agencies under controlled conditions for specific management objectives. The
1991 wildland fires in Oakland, California, caused 26 deaths and 148
injuries. The fires destroyed over 3,000 structures, left over 5,000 people
homeless and resulted in $1.5 billion in damages. In 1990, hot, dry weather
conditions in California contributed to brush fires in Santa Barbara County
that destroyed more than 600 buildings, caused over $200 million of damage
and killed one person. The greater Yellowstone National Park fire of 1988
destroyed or damaged private structures, including 17 mobile homes, 4
dwellings, a general store, 12 garages and outbuildings, 19 cabins, and
several storage structures, and burned 1,210,730 acres of wildland.
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