Fire in the Lab

By Samantha Gleissner

Battling wildfires can be a hazardous business. Wildfires are unpredictable and fast spreading; a single change in wind direction or fuel densities can alter the fires nature drastically. The best way to safely battle fires is to be able to understand how they function and even be able to predict the path that the fire may take.  If you are wondering how on earth it is possible to predict the unpredictable, or understand something that is by definition wild?  Fire science is how! Many scientists are now dedicating their work to learning how to understand and predict wildfire movement and alterations with wind changes. By studying fire in the controlled setting of a lab, fire scientists are learning how to more safely manage and defend against wildfires.

In a fire lab you might find mock structures, fabricated forests, and even wind gust chambers! Models are used to perform controlled fire experiments in order to record and analyze fire movement, combustion rates, and even the point at which a burned home or forest is salvageable. Fire Science is an incredibly important field of study that is necessary to give Firefighter every advantage possible when working the fireline.

When battling a fire, firefighters have to consider the path and trajectory of the burn in order to determine whether a fire crew can safely enter an area to battle flames, if a structure is unsalvageable or unstable a firefighter needs to know when it is safe to enter a structure and when it is beyond saving. Combustion rates can determine how quickly and at what temperatures a structure will become consumed. Having a solid understanding of these statistics, backed by scientific research can help in the estimation of periods for safe entry of a structure, or can help fire crews decide when it is best to allow a forest or area to burn out verses putting the effort into putting a wildfire out entirely. In other words, fire research, can literally provide the basis for life and death decisions.

Fire science in the lab isn’t only about the flames; experiments are done to help determine contribution of wildfires to greenhouse gasses, and potential health hazards such as heavy smoke inhalation. Fire science labs can help determine what levels of smoke are dangerous and what levels they are just an irritant. Fire labs determine the amount of carbon monoxide that is dangerous for humans and then use that data to come up with CO detectors that can detect levels of carbon monoxide before they reach lethal levels. Smoke detectors and fire sprinklers have all been products of fire lab experiments, and are just a few lifesaving tools we can be grateful to fire scientists for inventing.

If you enjoy the idea of safely playing with fire in a controlled setting and experimenting with different settings to asses fire dangers to help protect people and homes from those dangers you might want to consider a career in fire science!

Some fire science resources:

http://www.firelab.org/facilities-a-resources/102-smoke-sampling

http://www.firescience.gov

Fire Mascots Throughout History

By Samantha Gleissner

The United States Forest Service introduced Smokey Bear as a fire prevention spokesman in 1944, his original slogan was "Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". The Ad Council changed the slogan in 1947 to “Remember… Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires.” Smokey Bear is one of the most recognized forest service characters of all time. In 1950 a black bear cub was rescued from the Lincoln National Forest when 17,000 acres burned, his arms and legs were injured in the fire, but he managed to climb a tree to await rescue. The black bear cub was originally named “Hotfoot Teddy” but was renamed “Smokey” after the fire prevention mascot and was soon thereafter given a home at the National Zoo in Washington D.C., where he lived and received thousands of letters and visitors every day for 26 years. Smokey Bear received so many letters that in 1964 he was given his own unique zip code by the U.S. Postal Service.  Smokey Bear “retired” in 1975 and his adopted son “Little Smokey” was officially given the title of “Smokey Bear II”. The original Smokey Bear passed away in 1976 and his body was returned to Capitan, New Mexico where he was laid to rest in Smokey Bear Historical Park.

Woodsy Owl first became a mascot for the United States Forest Service in 1970 with the original slogan “Give A Hoot! Don’t Pollute.” The slogan was later changed to "Lend a hand - care for the land!" to encourage a broader participation in the care of the natural environment. Woodsy Owl was originally created with the aim of teaching young children (between 5-8 years of age) to take care of the land and appreciate nature.

The Guberif (Firebug spelled backwards) was first introduced in 1945 as a part of the “Keep Idaho Green” campaign. Unlike the previous mascots discussed, The Guberif provided an example of what not to do. The Guberif was noted to enjoy the outdoors, but was uneducated on fire safety. Notorious for starting fires the original slogan was “Don’t Be A Guberif! Help Prevent Forest And Rangeland Fires”.  Although the Guberif lost some popularity over time due to lack of use, he is making a comeback to the Idaho Forest and Fire scene with a slightly revamped look, but similar messages. In the early years of The Guberif, his slogan was painted statewide onto forest roadways, rest stops and parking lots to help spread the message of fire safety awareness in Idaho. In recent years, Idaho Firewise has revived the road painting tradition at some of the Idaho State parks, as well as releasing several new advertising campaigns that feature the Guberif.

Fire Wolf first made his appearance as an anti-fire mascot for the American Forest Products Industry in 1944 around the same time as Smokey Bear. He was introduced as “The Forest No. 1 Enemy” and was in fact a wolf that was entirely made up of fire. The Fire Wolf was given the roll of a villain, as which advocated for carelessness with fire safety. Although he gained some popularity in the 1940’s, Fire Wolf was lost among other more popular fire safety characters such as Smokey Bear. Although Fire Wolf was a villain trying to convince forest patrons to disregard burn warnings and safety precautions, he was presented with educational messages such as “Trees Make Jobs… Protect Them!”, “Help Keep America Green!” and “One Tree Will Make A Million Matches – One Match Can Destroy A Million Trees.” 

Winter Fire Safety

By Samantha Gleissner

When it starts to get cold rainy outside the threat of wildfires can be reduced, but those are the times when home fires become more prevalent. Heating, candle and electrical fires are just a few dangers associated with winter today.  I’d like to discuss some of the more common holiday fire dangers and how to avoid those dangers.

According to the USFA, heating fires are the second leading cause of residential building fires, and confined heating fires (those confined to a specific area of the structure) make up 86% of residential heating fires. The USFA also states that heating equipment should be given a minimum of three feet of clearance from any potentially flammable objects to avoid accidental fires. Children should also be taught to maintain a safe distance from the heating equipment when it is in use; the same three feet is recommended, but use your best judgment based on the age of the child. Turning off heaters when you go to bed or leave the room will help mitigate the threats of unattended heater fires, and you should never plug a heater into a loose socket or extension cord. It is best to plug the heater directly into the wall socket and assure it fits firmly and will not become loose and become a potential fire hazard.

If you are using a wood or pellet stove to heat an area, you should always be sure to follow the instructions for use carefully. Before beginning any burning for the winter, you should check your stove for cracks or damage, and always be sure to check your chimney and flue for creosote buildup as this can increase the danger of a chimney/flue fire. There are chimney-cleaning businesses you can contact if you are uncertain how to care for your stove before winter heating. There are also several tools that can help remove creosote buildup in chimneys such as the Creosote Sweeping Log and other similar items, although it is always good to consult a professional in the area if you are uncertain what you can or cannot use.

Besides the potential dangers of fire damage, winter heating can have other dangers as well. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is another potential issue when it comes to home heating. Not only is carbon monoxide odorless, colorless and tasteless, but it can be emitted by many different forms of heating equipment from woodstoves, and lawn mowers to water heaters and candles. If you live in an area where the power goes out frequently, you should be cautious when using candles and woodstoves for your sole source of light and heat. Try to keep a window cracked and be sure you have plenty of fresh air. CO detectors should generally be purchased for safety reasons, and are actually required in homes in many states. Because you cannot see, smell, or taste carbon monoxide, a detector may be the only way to assure you are heating safely this year. According to the Office of Public Safety and Security, CO alarms should be replaced every 5-7 years.

You shouldn’t be afraid of winter heating fires, but you should always be aware of the danger of a heating fire in your home and do everything you can to operate heating equipment appropriately, and ultimately do your best to mitigate the potential dangers.

For more information on heating equipment safety and CO you can visit:

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/heating/hotspot.shtm

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v6i3.pdf

http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/dfs/dfs2/osfm/pubed/fs-topics/fs-topics-a/carbon-monoxide-safety.html

Fires and Air Pollution

By Samantha Gleissner

Air pollution is one of the leading causes of illness and death, and according to Science Today is responsible for an astonishing 40% of deaths worldwide. Depending on your source, it is estimated that human actions are responsible for between 10-100% of air pollution, with the lower end of the scale accounting for direct pollutants alone, while the upper end of the scale encompasses all the pollutants that would not exist if humans were to be removed from the equation. While the human contribution to pollution is staggering, there are other contributors to air pollution which may or may not be human caused depending on how far down you dig into the event. Wildfires are a big contributor to air contamination, with one source stating that wildfires between June and August may contribute as much pollution to the ozone as all human emissions from industry in the US for the same time period. However, it is also important to note that it is believed that a significant number of wildfires are also human caused.

Wildfires can produce CO₂, which according to the EPA can exceed the limit set for the public health standard for ozone in the US, meaning that during a wildfire air pollution can reach dangerous levels. The dangerous level of air pollution can definitely affect human and animal health, and not just right in the burn zone. Wildfire smoke has been known to travel 4,000+ miles, contaminating air in states and even other countries that are not anywhere near the actual flames. It’s a fairly common misconception that if you aren’t in the immediate risk zone for wildfires then you don’t need to be concerned. When large wildfire strikes an area firebrands and embers can travel several miles to ignite new fires miles from the original blaze. This means the danger zone expands far beyond the immediate area, but smoke and other pollutants such as ozone, ash, CO₂, and aerosol particulates can travel literally thousands of miles, a great deal further than you might expect. I remember a couple years back when there were fires in Canada and Alaska and I was back home in Washington visiting family, the sky was so smoggy I could have sworn the fires were nearby, but it was all from hundreds or thousands of miles away. It’s important to realize that you don’t have to see or smell the smoke for the pollutants to cause damage to your body, but if you do see it and smell it, it’s almost certainly effecting your health and you should take appropriate precautions.

It is important to understand that although breathing in smog and other air pollutants can be detrimental to your health certain demographic groups are at more risk than others and should take higher precaution during wildfire seasons. The young, the elderly, pregnant women, those with asthma and other conditions that limit your ability to extract oxygen from the air may be at higher risk than the general population. While it is recommended that all people avoid going outdoors when air pollution levels are high during wildfire season, it is necessary for higher risk groups to take extra precaution and be extra vigilant.

It’s very important to keep up with your local air quality conditions, like many other warning systems air quality ratings can help keep you safe in the event of unhealthy air pollution from wildfires, industrial waste and other air toxins. If the air pollution is high in your area you can help minimize your health risks by keeping doors and windows shut to reduce clean air contamination, if you have an air conditioning unit you can close the fresh air intake and run the system to help clean the air inside your home. If you are at higher risk or have strong warnings in your area you may want to avoid outdoor activities to reduce your exposure to the contaminated air. If you take the appropriate precautions you can reduce your and your family’s health risks.

For more information on what you can do to reduce your pollution exposure and health risks you can visit:

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/facts.asp

http://public.health.oregon.gov/preparedness/prepare/pages/prepareforwildfire.aspx

For Daily updates on ozone conditions and active burning including controlled burns you can check out these links:

www.airnow.gov

www.wrapfets.org

For more information about pollution and wildfire you can visit:

http://www2.ucar.edu/atmosnews/news/916/wildfires-cause-ozone-pollution-violate-health-standards-new-study-shows

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/ContributionPollution/

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070813162438.htm

http://www.cleanerandgreener.org/resources/air-pollution.html

Large Fires Throughout History

By Samantha Gleissner

The Black Friday Bushfire – Australia, Victoria state

World’s largest wildfire in recorded history

Date: 13 January 1939

Cause: Dry conditions, strong winds, human actions

Area burned: ~5 million acres (7,800 square miles)

Fatalities: 71 people were killed in this wildfire

Structures lost: ~1,100 buildings burned

Notes: Ash from the Black Friday Bushfire fell up to 2000 miles away in New Zealand. Although many factors were involved in the ignition of the initial blazes that ultimately culminated to 5 million acres the judge’s report stated that the fire was ‘lit by the hand of man.’

The Great Fire of 1910 – United States; Idaho, Montana, and Washington

*2^nd Largest wildfire in recorded US history

Date: 20-21 August 1910

Cause: Dry conditions, strong winds, smaller wildfires, human actions

Area burned: ~3 million acres (4,700 square miles)

Fatalities: 87 people were killed in this wildfire

Structures lost: 109 buildings burned

Notes: Smoke from the Great Fire of 1910 was seen as far away as New York and clouded skies severely 500+ miles away at sea causing sailors using the stars to navigate to have difficulty as the sky was not visible. *Arguably the largest wildfire in US history, rivaled by the Great Peshtigo Fire, which burned in total 3.8 million acres, but only completely burned 1.2-1.5 million acres.

Great Peshtigo Fire – United States; Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois

*Largest fire in recorded US history

Date: 8-14 October 1871

Cause: Dry conditions, strong winds, unattended fires at logging camps

Area burned: ~3.8 million acres (5,938 square miles), 1.2-1.5 million acres completely burned

Fatalities: ~1,200-2,400 people were killed in this wildfire

Structures lost: Unknown number of buildings burned

Notes: The Great Peshtigo fire occurred simultaneously with the Great Chicago Fire, but is less well known due to population density in Chicago being so much larger and so many more lives at stake. It is interesting to note that all of the deadliest fires in US history occurred in the upper Midwest. *Arguably the largest wildfire in US history, rivaled by the Great Fire of 1910.

Miramichi Fire – Canada, New Brunswick & US, Maine

Largest fire in recorded Canadian history

Date: 7 October 1825

Cause: Unknown, human actions, and spruce bud worm infestations have been speculated as causes.

Area burned: ~3 million acres (4,685 square miles)

Fatalities: ~160-3000 (fatalities were highly unaccounted for due to unknown numbers of loggers in the area at the time of the burn).

Structures lost: 312 buildings burned

Notes: The third largest fire in North American history, the Miramichi fire was considered responsible for ending the mast-making industry on the Miramichi River. This wildfire was also the inspiration of a folksong called Miramichi fire, and a novel called Three Million Acres of Flame.

The fires listed here are four of the largest fires in history; each one has had a dramatic impact on the world and has left a mark in history forever. These fires have collectively burned 14.8 million acres (23,123 square miles), which is approximately the size of West Virginia! About 1,521 + buildings were lost, not including the entire Great Peshtigo Fire for which buildings could not be counted due to the extent of the damages and unknown residency at the time of the fire. Finally somewhere between 1,518-5,558 lives were lost in these fires., This figure is approximately 1/100,000^th of the US population in 2012, and while that may seem fairly small today, these fires were almost all early in the settling of the states and entire towns were razed to the ground. Perhaps the most devastating part of these blazes is the commonality amongst the causes. While each wildfire was attributed to severely dry weather and strong winds, with the exception of the Miramichi Fire (which was unknown in origin), the initiation of each fire was in the end attributed to human actions.

It is important when looking at devastating disasters to assess possible causes and potential prevention actions. We cannot control all human actions, but if we can educate people about the negative consequences of our actions and how they can be prevented we may be able to mitigate some disasters in the future. 

Planning Ahead for Emergency Livestock Evacuations

By Samantha Gleissner

When disasters strike, the efforts to get everybody to safety and find places for the displaced people to stay can be chaotic at best, but what if you have pets or livestock? What on earth do you do with 100 head of cattle when wildfire burns through your area or if a flash flood strikes? Today I want to talk about what you can do to be prepared for an emergency evacuation if you have pets or livestock animals. Some of this preparation advice would be good for human safety as well so consider that while reading this and see what you can apply to your own emergency evacuation preparations. There are a lot of resources that give good advice for being prepared for animal evacuation (some listed below), but those resources won’t do you much good at the last minute so it’s best to be prepared ahead of time before there is danger on the horizon.

The first thing you can do is quite simple; get together a list of animal emergency contacts, this should include numbers and addresses for:

·         Your veterinarian

·         Emergency veterinarian or out of area vet incase of disaster closures

·         Poison control

·         Animal/livestock emergency transport services

·         Local Animal shelters

·         Animal control

·         Other pet care/emergency numbers you may need

It’s best to have several back up numbers on the list because in an emergency you may need to contact multiple people before you can get an answer, and there may be others in your area needing similar services so having a back up or two for each contact is a good idea. The way I think of it is that it is better to be over prepared now than underprepared when something happens.

Be sure you consider including contacts for services that are  outside of your immediate town but still within a reasonable in case the disaster is big enough to close down the entire area. It is good to have a prepared list of out of area contacts (friends or family) that you can possibly stay with or ask for assistance in pet transport and care incase your entire area is affected by the disaster.

Next is to make sure that all of your animals have sturdy wear proof identification; cattle, horses, and other large animals may be ear tagged, microchipped or branded, pets should have microchips or other form of non-removable identification (ear tattoos etc.). Non-removable or difficult to remove ID helps to locate the animal more quickly if they get lost in the disaster or transported for boarding, it also makes it easier for animal transport and boarding services to keep track of your pets and livestock. One thing I have not mentioned yet is that by law service animals must be transported and housed with their owners as they are considered a medical aide, pets however may be unable to be housed with their owners so it’s always wise to have a backup plan even if you only have one or two pets.

If you are considering Firewise landscaping or have done Firewise landscaping on your property you may also want consider any animal housing such as barns, pastures, etc. as another home area, clearing that essential 30 feet around your barn and other pastures or animal confinement areas. Creating this buffer zone for your barns and pastures can make it a much safer place to leave your animals during an evacuation if need be.

If animals are to remain on your property during a disaster you need to be sure you have proper facilitations for them to stay safe and healthy. A heat source and covered area to provide protection from the elements is a must, heat sources should be in a safe place and should be far away from any fuel sources or combustible materials to reduce fire risk. Always be prepared with a backup supply of emergency food and water for your animals with a minimum of a weeks supply. Often during disasters water supplies become contaminated or electrical limitations cause water supplies to be cut off, so having a clean spare water supply is vital.

Make sure you know where all your animals can be located. It’s a wise idea to also keep a list of animal locations and even a property map marking the animal locations, in your emergency evacuation kit and with your emergency animal transport provider. This way in an emergency, even people who are unfamiliar with your property can more easily help locate and move any animals that may be at risk. You should also know where handling and transport equipment for each animal can be found, this includes leashes, harnesses, halters, and transport carriers or trailers.

Finally you should have an emergency disaster kit prepared ahead of time and in an accessible area. This kit should include:

·         A list of animals and their location

·         Proof of ownership

·         Health certificates

·         Temporary identification (collars, removable ID bands, permanent markers)

o   Sharpies can be used to mark tags, but also to mark directly on the fur of the animals themselves. It’s not the best ID, but in an emergency it can be sufficient.

·         First aid kit – basic human and animal kits should be available in your home and at several locations on your property (barns, outbuildings, etc.).

·         Handling equipment

·         Food & water supplies (1 week minimum)

·         Any other emergency item you can think of, there are plenty of internet resources that can help you make this kit up. Several are listed below.

All of these tips are designed to get you prepared and thinking about how you can keep your animals safe in the event of a disaster. If you’ve accepted the responsibility of owning an animal be sure your are ready to be responsible for protecting that animal in emergencies as well.

Animal disaster preparedness resources:

1.      http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/disaster-preparedness

2.      http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/animal_rescue/tips/pets-disaster.html

3.      http://www.ready.gov/caring-animals

4.      http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/pets

Animal emergency kit resources:

1.      http://www.redrover.org/pet-disaster-preparedness

2.      http://www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit

3.      http://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-care/disaster-preparedness-cats/

4.      http://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-care/disaster-preparedness-pet-checklist/

Idaho Animal Evacuation Training Resources:

1.      http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com/

Holiday Fire Precautions

by Samantha Gleissner

As we approach the holiday season many people forget the dangers of fires; it’s rainy and cold and the chances of wildfires are heavily reduced. However, it is important to remember that you should never let your fire safety habits take a holiday, as there is a significantly increased risk of residential fires occurring whenever people start spending more time in the kitchen. Residential fires are not just a risk to the individuals responsible, but to neighbors and nearby buildings as well. If a fire starts in your oven or fryer, not only can it ruin your holiday, but it may also wind up costing you a lot of money, and I know nobody wants to have to dip into Christmas savings for Thanksgiving Day fire repairs!

You might be wondering, what are the main causes of Thanksgiving Day fires. Well, not surprisingly, according to National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) it is estimated that 69% of residential fires on Thanksgiving are cooking fires, which is a jump from the average 42% caused by cooking during the rest of the year. The other leader in Thanksgiving Day fires may not be as obvious, but 10% of Thanksgiving Day fires are caused by heating sources such as hearth fires and space heaters, so be careful to remind your guests to watch where they set flammable objects such as coats and shoes.

It is also important to realize what objects in your home may act as fuel sources; increasing your risks of a residential fire. Some of the items that have been noted as ignition points for residential fires are roofing and exterior trim, rugs and other flooring, wall and ceiling covers, and other highly combustible items within or exterior to the household depending on where you will be doing your cooking and heating. If you are going to have an outdoor Thanksgiving with a fryer or bonfire it is necessary to make sure you take the precautions of moving cooking equipment to a safe distance from any combustible items such as patio furniture, house siding, or vegetation that could catch fire. Whether you are indoors or out for your holiday it is also important never to leave cooking food, open flames, or heating elements unattended.

Another idea for a safe holiday would be to take some time prior to beginning your preparations to test all of your household smoke alarms and warning systems. If your smoke detectors batteries are low or dead, be sure to replace them before you start all your cooking. Smoke detectors can be a vital early warning should any cooking go awry and can help you and your family stay safe in the event of a holiday fire mishap. Something else that not everybody might consider is to be sure you have a method of extinguishing a fire should one occur. Many households have a fire extinguisher, but as a result of infrequent use, many people may not know where their extinguisher has been stashed or worse if it even still works. Be sure to check your extinguisher and follow the directions carefully. For your own peace of mind, take some time to familiarize yourself with the use instructions before you start your holiday preparations.

Many of these tips and safety ideas are little more than common sense, but so often when a fire mishap occurs it can be too late to consider what you have not done to get prepared. Since we all know that every second counts in a fire emergency, don’t put off taking some extra safety precautions this holiday season!

For more fire-safety tips, fire statistics, and safety ideas check out these links:

http://kbhr933.com/current-news/firewise-thanksgiving-day/

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v11i5.pdf

Natural Disasters

By Samantha Gleissner

I’d like to take a little step outside the fire zone and bring up something that may be relevant not only to how we perceive wildfires but global climactic events and natural disasters in general. In this growing age of human impact awareness we are beginning to understand more and more about how we humans are impacting our environment. As a student of environmental sciences, it has been a prominent point in my education to learn to see how our actions influence changes in the natural environment, and now I’d like to share with you a few things that I have come to understand about human impacts.

It is important when evaluating wildlife populations to understand how they fit into their environment and how they can impact other species in their community, but there are few if any creatures that influence their environment as much as humans do. As one of very few exponentially increasing species, humans tend to adjust the environment to fit their needs as opposed to dwelling only in environments that already fit their needs like most other species on the planet do. We tend to alter landscapes and species compositions by removing plants or animals that we find to be “out of place”. For some purposes this is a helpful practice (i.e. invasive species removal to promote native species health), but humans are also uniquely capable of removing thousands of hectares of natural habitats in a mater of a few weeks or months. We alter landscapes from forested to clear-cut, or from desert to tropical in some cases (California). Such drastic landscape alterations change the way the ecosystem functions in those areas and can bring on more frequent natural disasters and even worsen their effects.

Pollutants increase the toxicity of the air we breathe and influence the measurements the earth “takes” to reduce damage to its ecosystems and balance. I want people to think about the earth sort of like the human body, earth tends to keep a homeorhetic state, meaning that the earth maintains a stable flow similar to the human body. When something is altered in an unnatural way the earth will respond to correct the change, much like a human body. Global climate change is the earths “immune system” kicking into gear to remove the damaging or threatening alterations. Rains increase when high amounts of pollutants are released into the air, this helps trap the pollutants and remove them from the atmosphere. Similarly any climactic event or natural disaster can be better understood by evaluating the earth’s health. Often disasters occur in highly populated regions, often due to landscape alterations that change how the air, water, and other components flow thru the topography. Alterations such as the changes made to sagebrush habitat here in Idaho, for agriculture and industry, can lead to soil erosion, stronger wind effects, changes to soil nutrients, and other issues that can intensify future disaster effects.

When you begin to consider the impacts we have on the earth and the increasing human population, it is not really all that surprising to hear that natural disasters and climatic changes have increased over the years as well. Increased alteration of the land to accommodate our infinitely growing populations of humans and industry make it clear that our impacts do effect the way the earth functions. If an area is clear-cut to make way for industry or human habitation, we are changing the natural flow of the land and the way climactic patterns influence it and natural disaster affect it.

While many people understand that the earth is a functioning organism, very few people in contrast understand how our impacts on the earth no matter how minute affect the balance and even bring on “natural events” sooner or more strongly than they would normally occur.

Since I’m explaining this in a way that humanizes the earth, I would like to point out that humans as a species are far closer to being an invasive species, or even virus like in our interactions with this planet, but that doesn’t mean that we are not nor can be a natural part of the world. On occasion in the human body a functional cell such as an immune cell becomes “confused” and attacks the body, but this does not mean that it is a foreign cell to the body. I believe that humans are much like a confused immune cell; we are here to be a part of the world, to function in a capacity that facilitates the stable flow of the world’s climate and ecology. We just need to learn how to function more appropriately with the rest of the system of which we are a part so we can help restore and maintain our planet for future generations.

The Aesthetics of Firescaping

By Samantha Gleissner


In my last blog I talked a bit about firescaping and the reasons people may decide against it, I brought up a few reasons why people should reconsider the benefits of firescaping verses what some consider to be negatives. Today I want to talk about the layout of firescaping and the different aspects that should be considered when trying to make your property safe as well as beautiful.

Firescaping, or the process of dividing your property into zones to create the best possible defensible area, involves removing fuels, and carefully selecting your landscape to provide the best protection to your home. There are a total of 3 zones and they are as follows:

Zone 1 is the nearest area to your home and anything near enough to serve as a fire path to your house. This zone should be the most void of fire fuels such as overhanging plants or brush that could act as facilitators for the fire to reach your home. Within this zone it is wisest to choose non-flammable landscape materials and be sure to clean up any fire fuels and debris such as leaf litter in your gutters, which should not be as much of an issue if there are no overhanging trees near your home. Consider decorating this area with fire-safe materials such as stone and concrete paths. This is not to say that you cannot have gardens or plants near your home, the key to keeping a garden and still being Firewise is to keep your plant beds watered. If you keep your planters and gardens well watered the moisture content of the plants will be greater making them less flammable and less likely to act as fuels in the event of a fire. Some common fuels that people may not really think about are door mats, patio furniture pads and pillows, and even hanging peat moss planters, always be sure to look around and consider which average household items could be potential fuels when creating this defensible zone.

Zone 2 is the next closest area to your home stretching from the edge of zone 1 to approximately 100 feet from your home. In this zone there should be well watered and maintained groups of vegetation such as ground cover, perennials and individual trees or shrubs with plenty of space between so that if fire reaches one area it can be contained and avoid spreading throughout the entire zone. Fire-safe materials such as rock or brick walls or concrete paths skirting the islands of vegetation and between zones to prevent fire spread should help protect sections of vegetation.

Finally zone 3 is the farthest zone from your house and should be anything 100 feet beyond your home. In this zone there should be native vegetation that has been thinned and if possible any dryer vegetation or materials should be removed. Zone 3 is the highest risk zone for fire and creating the most defensible space for your home means reducing plant density and fire fuels in this area and even replacing them with fire-safe options. You can find a list of fire-safe alternative plants, firescaping ideas and examples of firescaped homes HERE.

By firescaping your property into these defensible zones you can reduce your risk of home damage during wildfire season. You can make your home beautiful using all kinds of alternative landscaping methods such as stone gardens and paths, reduced brush and overhang means less work cleaning the gutters and raking leaves so you have more time to enjoy your home without the worry of fire dangers. Perhaps the best benefit of firescaping your property is that in the event of a wildfire, a well firescaped property or community can act as a fire break that prevents the wildfire from spreading past the home/community, which allows firefighters to focus on stopping the fire rather than protecting the structures in it’s path.

I hope that this information will help those who are considering firescaping to understand how it works a little more and those who haven’t considered firescaping to understand why they should. Stay Firewise!

http://www.idahofirewise.org/homeowners/firewise-landscaping/

Rethinking Firescaping

by Samantha Gleissner

Firescaping is a landscaping technique used to reduce fire risks to your home in the event of a wildfire. Firescaping is a method of arranging your property into zones, which are determined by distance from your home and level of risk from wildfire. Within each zone the landscape materials are selected to create the best possible defensible space, this means creating lowest risk spaces near your home by adding fire breaks such as rock or paths in each zone that are non-flammable and help obstruct and even prevent fire from reaching your home. By using firescaping you can minimize your losses and help firefighters do their job more easily by reducing the number of homes at high risk.  Although firescaping is highly beneficial to homeowners in wildfire area’s not everybody is keen to the idea of firescaping on their property. Here I will talk about some of the biggest reasons that people can be resistant to firescaping and I will explain why even if you have considered firescaping before and decided against it, it may be wise to reconsider your reasons and your fire risks.

A big reason people decide against firescaping is brush reduction, many people enjoy the beauty of nature in their backyard and have difficulty understanding how firescaping can still be beautiful when you are removing fuel sources like plants. While firescaping does mean reducing underbrush and plant litter around your home it does not necessarily mean you can’t take the opportunity to redesign your landscape for beauty as well as safety. It is important to reduce the amount of potential fire fuels and paths that wildfires can take to your home; think about using non-flammable landscaping materials like decorative rock and high moisture content yard plants which will be less likely to catch fire.

Another reason some might not want to do firescaping is the amount of maintenance work. Once you decide on firescaping you might think that when it’s done you won’t have to worry about it again. Truth is unless you maintain your firescaping it won’t be as effective in protecting your home, it’s vital to do maintenance on your firescape to keep brush and litter to a minimum and your fire safety to it’s maximum. You might think that it’s a lot of work to maintain your firescaping, but when it comes to protecting your family and home it is well worth the work. Plus by reducing the underbrush and leaf litter your yard and plants will look cleaner, grow better, and be easier to maintain in the long run.

Wildlife landscaping is becoming more popular and many people enjoy the idea of having a wildlife friendly yard. It may seem to many as if removing brush and undergrowth can discourage the appearance of wildlife that you want to see in your yard, but if done right firescaping can be wildlife friendly and can even make it easier to view the wildlife when it does pay you a visit. Not only can firescaping be wildlife friendly and beautiful, but it can help protect wildlife should a fire ever breakout by creating a buffer zone and making it easier for firefighters to focus on fighting the fire. By reducing the chances of the fire reaching your home it can allow firefighters to focus on stopping the spread of the fire rather than protecting home structures that are at high risk. Human safety is the priority, so by helping protect your own home with firescaping you can reduce the load for firefighters and help protect the forests and wildlife in your area.

Finally while many people are willing to consider Firewise landscaping, they may not know how to get started. While zoning laws and property regulations can be tricky, firescaping is an important safety step if you live anywhere that could be at risk of wildfires. Check into Firewise resources in your area and find out what Firewise can do to help you. If you are unsure how firescaping works clarification is only a click, call, or visit away. Firewise has all the resources you need to figure out your landscaping and can help you find service providers and Firewise landscapers in your area.

It’s important to realize that good Firewise landscaping can protect you, your home, your family, firefighters, wildlife and your peace of mind in the event of a wildfire. Take a look at your reasons for putting off firescaping and then take a look at Firewise resources and the benefits of having a Firewise home, it could be the best thing you do for your home!

http://www.firewise.org/~/media/Firewise/Files/Pdfs/Newsletters/FirewiseNewsletterSpring07.pdf

ESPN’s Hannah Storms and NFPA Stress the Importance of Grill Fire Safety

ESPN Sportscenter Anchor Hannah Storms is set to appear in a number of NFPA public service announcements promoting grill safety throughout 2013. Storms was inspired to advocate grill safety after a propane grill explosion at her home in Connecticut left her with 1^st and 2^nd degree burns on her face and neck.

A gust of wind blew out the flame in Storms’ grill while she was away and propane pooled up under the closed lid. She returned a few minutes later to check on the grill, reignited the flame, and was blasted by an explosive fireball that could have seriously injured or blinded Storms.

Hannah Storms says that the series of PSA’s were an important endeavor for her because, “It was a very simple mistake that I made, but it was a very common mistake. People all over the world grill and they grill all the time, and most of the people that I know really don't understand the proper procedures.”

It certainly was a common mistake - 9,000 home fires are started by unsafe grilling every year, killing 10 people and injuring 140 more.  Hopefully with the urging of ESPN news anchor Hannah Storms more people will  be aware of the risks involved with propane grills and take time to educate themselves on safe grilling procedures.

Source: http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=298&itemID=18346&URL=Safety%20Information/For%20consumers/Outdoors/Grilling&cookie_test=1

YoutubePSA:

http://youtu.be/viRJxcFIc8I

2012: A Fire Season for the History Books

As we prepare for the upcoming fire season we should take some time to look back at the statistics for the 2012 fire season and reflect on their significance. NIFC data for the 2012 season shows that 67,315 wildfires burned 9.2 million acres in the United States, while 16,514 prescribed burns treated just under 2 million acres of land. Since 1960, when the USA started keeping track of wildfire statistics, there have only been 2 other fire seasons that consumed more acreage than 2012, and none that saw fewer significant fires. This odd pairing of statistics means that 2012 also had the largest average fire size.

With 1.5 million acres burned within state lines, Idaho suffered more damage from wildfires than any other state in 2012. Although the number of acres burned in Idaho was the highest of any state, those acres were burned by only 1,068 fires - far less than the national average of 1346. We can attribute that discrepancy to our vast amount of uninhabited wildland where many fires are allowed to burn without endangering property or natural resources.

Although most Idaho fires don’t endanger big cities or large communities, not all fires in Idaho burned innocently in uninhabited wildland last year. Despite the “valiant” effort of firefighters (as described by governor Otter), 66 homes and 29 outbuildings in Pocatello were destroyed by a fire that required the effort of 20 different state, federal, and local agencies to suppress it. The fire scorched 1,032 acres in eastern Idaho, causing $7.2 million in damages, but luckily it didn’t result in any loss of life. Unfortunately not every Idahoan escaped the 2012 fire season alive; 20 year old Moscow, Idaho native Anne Veseth died after being struck by a falling tree branch while battling the Steep Canyon Fire near Coeur d’Alene. Her death serves as a stark reminder of the inherent danger of wildfires - a lesson we should reflect on as we prepare for the upcoming fire season.

Sources:

http://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_stats_YTD2012.html

Fire Consumes Almost Entire Town of Howe, Idaho

A fire in the small town of Howe, Idaho -about 70 miles outside of Idaho Falls - raged out of control this past October, leaving most of the downtown in a pile of ashes. The fire started in an abandoned café and quickly spread to 6 surrounding buildings. Among the few buildings saved were the local church and school.

Although the cause of the fire is still unknown, the rapid spread of the flames can be attributed to 60mph winds and an aging downtown whose wooden buildings couldn’t resist ignition.

Howe, Idaho is a town so isolated from outsiders that it took 30 minutes for the first firefighter from the Idaho National Laboratory to arrive on the scene. Locals were limited to battling the flames with buckets of water and garden hoses until professionals could take control of the situation. Police in the area helped homeowners defend their houses from flying embers and flaming tumbleweeds that were flung at them by the gale force winds.

Late October is not a time when the people of Howe, Idaho would typically be concerned about the threat of fire or high winds, but unfortunately there is never a time when it is safe to let your guard down. Eastern Idaho is regularly exposed to wildfire, so people in the town knew how to deal with a fast approaching grassfire, but were caught off guard when the flames originated within city limits. Much of the disaster could have been avoided if homes in the center of town followed Firewise regulations that could have protected them from ignition. It is a common misconception that your home is safe from wildfire if you don’t live near the Wildland-Urban Interface(WUI).

Currently the future is unclear for Howe. The 6 buildings that were destroyed are not going to be replaced; the owners are cutting their losses and moving elsewhere. Although the loss of 6 buildings doesn’t sound like much, to a town with only 2 full-time residents and 175 living just outside city limits this fire was absolutely devastating. It is still not known if Howe, Idaho will rise from the ashes, or if this fire will be the last chapter in the towns story.

If you would like more information on how to protect your home from the threat of wildfire check out http://www.idahofirewise.org/homeowners/  for tips and recommendations from fire professionals and landscaping experts.

Source:

http://www.nwcn.com/news/idaho/174705311.html

Smoke from Idaho: the Most Destructive Fire in American History

The August of the driest year in Idaho history hosted a cold front that produced hurricane-force winds and a wide-spread lightning storm. The combination of worst-case-scenario fuel dryness, wind speed, and lightning ignitions nursed a behemoth fire that ravaged the forests of northern Idaho and Washington with complete disregard to the firefighting effort. The “Big Burn” of 1910 consumed over 3 million acres, earning the distinction of being the largest fire in American history, a title it holds to this day – over 100 years later.

The numbers are startling, truly difficult to grasp. In 2 days an estimated 1000-3000 individual fires burned 3 million acres of forest, killed 86 people (including 2 men who committed suicide when the hellish fire couldn’t be outrun), and created a cloud of smoke reaching as far north as Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, as far south as Denver, and clear east into New York state. If all the lumber burned was put on 1 train it would stretch 2,400 miles long – roughly the distance between Boise and New York City. The massive loss of forest is still felt today, and many areas have still not recovered due to massive amounts of soil erosion from rain wash-outs.

The Big Burn of 1910 serves as a lesson and a grave warning. The possibility of another catastrophic fire is always present if the right set of conditions comes together. The combination of drought conditions that dry vegetation, widespread electric storms that cover a large area with scattered ignitions, and winds that blow with enough power to push flames over fire lines or mountain ranges will surely bring a huge fire. Our fire suppression tactics and technology have advanced greatly since 1910, but we can’t control fires, only manipulate them in ways that hopefully reduce damage to property and natural resources. The struggle to control fire is made harder by the effects of global climate change which has increased the global temperature, lengthened the dry season in many places, and has also altered wind circulation patterns.  Experts believe that these phenomena will most likely result in more severe and numerous wildfires. Although we haven’t yet seen another fire like the Big Burn of 1910 and our technology is much more advanced, there is still always a chance - especially with the added effects of Global warming - that all of the necessary conditions come together and ignite a monstrous fire like the Big Burn. Man’s most valiant efforts to control nature can be completely overwhelmed by an especially dry, windy fire.

Fire Behavior Triangle Explained

Unlike the Fire Triangle (heat, oxygen, fuel), The Fire Behavior Triangle explains how a fire acts after it is already ignited. The Fire Behavior Triangle is similar in that it is comprised of 3 parts - Weather, Topography, and Fuels – but the complexity of how these components interact on a large scale makes this mnemonic device much more important in the education of wildland firefighters and homeowners alike.

Weather.  The aspects of weather that have the greatest influence on fire behavior are wind, humidity, temperature, and precipitation. Wind has played a vital role in every catastrophic fire in history. It empowers fire by injecting oxygen for combustion and pushing the flames onto unburned fuel. Humidity and precipitation both influence the degree to which fuels are saturated with water, which is important because dry fuels burn easily, while wet fuels are difficult, often impossible, to ignite. Temperature plays a lesser role, but along with low humidity, temperature dries out fuel for a more intense burn.

Topography. Simply put, topography can be described as “the lay of the land”. It may seem odd, but fires don’t burn the same on all landscapes - fires burn much faster uphill because the rising heat from the fire dries out the fuels above it, priming them for easy and rapid combustion. This effect of fire behavior, along with the inaccessibility of mountainous areas to firefighters, makes it significantly harder to fight flames in steep terrains. Fire behavior is also greatly affected by the aspect, or direction the slope faces. Here on the Northern Hemisphere it is the southern-facing slopes that get the most direct sunlight, and therefore are the driest side of any mountain or foothill. Rivers, deserts, and lakes that impede the path of a fire are also included in this category, and are used by firefighters to help contain wildfires.

 Fuels. Anything that can burn in a fire is considered a fuel – grass, trees, piles of leaves, even your home! Areas with a high volume of fuel per acre have the greatest potential to burn intensely in the case of a fire. Dry fuels will burn easier. Fuels that are close together allow fire to spread quickly. In Fire Ecology there are 3 main types of fuels: Ground fuels, surface fuels, and canopy fuels. Ground fuels are combustibles that lie just under the surface, like buried logs or roots, and burn slowly because of the higher moisture and lower oxygen levels. Surface fuels lie on top of or just right above the surface and can include anything from pine needles, leaves, grass, shrubs, or even your back porch. Crown fuels, which typically refer to the crowns, or tops, of trees, are far and away the most dangerous fuel type. If a fire can make its way up to the crown it is significantly harder to suppress, and crown fires can actually spread separately from the ground fire it originated from.

      The Fire Behavior Triangle is a convenient mnemonic device used by fire professionals to quickly and easily teach the fundamentals of fire behavior to just about anyone. Although it’s great for the layman, the Fire Behavior Triangle isn’t exclusively for beginners - it is still taught to wildland firefighters today who need to be constantly aware of the risky, unpredictable nature of fire behavior. Fire behavior is complicated and hard to predict even for experts, but when broken down into its 3 most basic components it is possible to understand, on a very basic level, how fires act in different ecosystems, seasons, weather, or terrains.

The Guberif Has Made a Comeback

As of May 1st, the start of Wildfire Awareness Month, the Guberif is back! He is already making appearances around the state. You might see him on a billboard or poster. You may even see his name painted on a parking lot or roadway. Let us know if you spot him in Idaho!