DOCSLIB.ORG

Forecasting Wildland Fire Behavior: Aids and Guides

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Forecasting Wildland Fire Behavior: Aids and Guides Fire Management today Volume 64 • No. 1 • Winter 2004 FORECASTING WILDLAND FIRE BEHAVIOR: AIDS AND GUIDES United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Editor’s note: This issue of Fire Management Today is the third in a three-part series of reprinted articles related to wildland fire behavior, some of them decades old. Although the articles appear in today’s format, the text is reprinted largely verbatim and therefore reflects the style and usage of the time. We made minor wording changes for clarity and added metric conversions where needed. All illustrations are taken from the original articles. Fire Management Today is published by the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by law of this Department. Fire Management Today is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, at: Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: 202-512-1800 Fax: 202-512-2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001 Fire Management Today is available on the World Wide Web at <http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fmt/>. Ann M. Veneman, Secretary April J. Baily U.S. Department of Agriculture General Manager Dale Bosworth, Chief Robert H. “Hutch” Brown, Ph.D. Forest Service Managing Editor Jerry Williams, Director Madelyn Dillon Fire and Aviation Management Editor Carol LoSapio Guest Editor Martin E. Alexander and Dave Thomas Issue Coordinators The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family sta­ tus. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Disclaimer: The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement of any product or service by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Individual authors are responsible for the technical accuracy of the material presented in Fire Management Today. Fire today Management Volume 64 • No. 1 • Winter 2004 On the Cover: CONTENTS Forecasting Wildland Fire Behavior: Aids, Guides, and Knowledge-Based Protocols . 4 M.E. Alexander and D.A. Thomas Forest Fires and Sea Breezes. 12 G.L. Hayes Fundamentals of Fire Behavior . 15 H.T. Gisborne Vertical Wind Currents and Fire Behavior. 24 John S. Crosby Warning Signs for Fire Fighters . 27 A.A. Brown Recognizing Weather Conditions That Affect Forest Fire Behavior . 29 Owen P. Cramer Meteorological Problems Associated With Mass Fires . 34 Aids and guides from the past, DeVer Colson some illustrated here, can Some Principles of Combustion and Their Significance in Forest Fire Behavior . 37 help improve the fire behavior George M. Byram forecasting capabilities needed Vortex Turbulence—Its Effect on Fire Behavior. 45 today in both fire use and fire James B. Davis and Craig C. Chandler The Concept of Fire Environment . 49 suppression. See the articles C.M. Countryman in this issue for descriptions. Get the Most From Your Windspeed Observation. 53 John S. Crosby and Craig C. Chandler Atmospheric Stability Forecast and Fire Control . 56 Rollo T. Davis Downbursts and Wildland Fires: A Dangerous Combination . 59 Donald A. Haines Estimating Slope for Predicting Fire Behavior . 62 Patricia L. Andrews Air Tanker Vortex Turbulence—Revisited . 64 Donald A. Haines A Trend Analysis of Fireline “Watch Out” Situations in Seven Fire-Suppression Fatality Accidents . 66 Gene A. Morse The FIRE 21 symbol (shown below and on the LCES—A Key to Safety in the Wildland Fire Environment . 70 cover) stands for the safe and effective use of Paul Gleason wildland fire, now and throughout the 21st How IC’s Can Get Maximum Use of Weather Information . 72 century. Its shape represents the fire triangle Christopher J. Cuoco and James K. Barnett (oxygen, heat, and fuel). The three outer red triangles represent the basic functions of Beyond the Safey Zone: Creating a Margin of Safety . 78 wildland fire organizations (planning, operations, Mark Beighley and aviation management), and the three critical Firefighter Safety Zones: How Big Is Big Enough? . 82 aspects of wildland fire management (prevention, Bret W. Butler and Jack D. Cohen suppression, and prescription). The black interior represents land affected by fire; the emerging Safety Alert: Watch Out for Aircraft Turbulence! . 86 green points symbolize the growth, restoration, Billy Bennett and sustainability associated with fire-adapted The Consumption Strategy: Increasing Safety During Mopup . 88 ecosystems. The flame represents fire itself as an Tom Leuschen and Ken Frederick ever-present force in nature. For more informa­ tion on FIRE 21 and the science, research, and Author Index—Volume 63 . 94 innovative thinking behind it, contact Mike Apicello, National Interagency Fire Center, Subject Index—Volume 63 . 95 208-387-5460. SHORT FEATURES Websites on Fire . 28 The Blowup Fire and Firefighter Safety. 33 Wildland Fire Research’s Raison D’etre . 92 Guidelines for Contributors . 93 Firefighter and public safety is Photo Contest Announcement . 98 First of Its Kind: A Historical Perspective on our first priority. Wildland Fire Behavior Training . 99 Volume 64 • No. 1 • Winter 2004 3 FORECASTING WILDLAND FIRE BEHAVIOR: AIDS, GUIDES, AND KNOWLEDGE-BASED PROTOCOLS M.E. Alexander and D.A. Thomas an wildland fire behavior really be predicted? That depends on By systematically reflecting upon our fire behavior C how accurate you expect the forecasts and the tools that helped us prepare prediction to be. The minute-by­ them, we become the masters of fire behavior minute movement of a fire will probably never be predictable—cer­ models and not their servants. tainly not from weather conditions forecasted many hours before the This issue is devoted to aids, fire. Nevertheless, practice and The Practice of guides, and knowledge-based proto­ experienced judgment in assessing Predicting Wildland cols involved in predicting wildland the fire environment, coupled with Fire Behavior fire behavior for safe and effective a systematic method of calculating More than 50 years ago, Barrows fire suppression (Alexander 2000). fire behavior, yield surprisingly (1951) outlined the basic concepts It includes 21 articles published good results (Rothermel 1983). of predicting or forecasting wild- from 1947 to 1998. A recent article land fire behavior that are still very by Weick (2002) that emphasizes This is the third and final special valid today (see the excerpt on the importance of human factors in issue of Fire Management Today in pages 6–7). As figure 1 shows, the the field of fire behavior forecasting a series of issues devoted to the process of judging fire behavior can could have easily been included. subject of wildland fire behavior. be divided into five simple steps: The first two issues contained 36 articles dealing with wildland fire behavior case studies and analyses published in Fire Management Today and its predecessors between 1937 and 2000. These two issues contained lead articles on various aspects of those subjects (Alexander and Thomas 2003a, 2003b). Not included in these two issues are two recent articles on fire behavior published in Fire Management Today (Brown 2002; Cornwall 2003). Marty Alexander is a senior fire behavior research officer with the Canadian Forest Service at the Northern Forestry Centre, Edmonton, Alberta; and Dave Thomas is the regional fuels specialist for the USDA Figure 1—Judging fire behavior requires systematic analysis of many factors Forest Service, Intermountain Region, (from Barrows 1951). Ogden, UT. Fire Management Today 4 1. Basic knowledge. The founda- We recommend that fire behavior analysts adopt tion for judging probable fire the framework of the After Action Review, as behavior must rest on basic knowledge of the principles of described on the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned combustion: What is necessary Center Website. for combustion to occur? What causes the rate of combustion to increase or decrease? How may ior predictions to actual fire behav­ by putting their fire behavior fore­ combustion be reduced or ior. This is the only way one can casts through a reflective scrutiny stopped? truly meet Barrows’ (1951) advice based on four basic questions: 2. Forest knowledge. Three basic to “evaluate the combined effects of factors in a forest area—weather, all significant factors influencing 1. What did your fire behavior fore­ topography, and fuels—are fire behavior.” cast say would happen? important indicators of fire 2. What actually happened? behavior. Conscious reflection, not as an 3. Why did the fire behavior aid, 3. Aids and guides. Several aids afterthought but as a normal rou­ guide, or protocol predict accu­ and guides are available to assist tine in the day-to-day business of rately (or inaccurately)? in evaluating weather, topogra­ fire behavior forecasting, involves a 4. Finally (and most importantly), phy, and fuels. highly professional method of ques­ if you had to make this forecast 4. Estimate of situation. The prob­ tioning whether our fire behavior again, what would you do differ­ abilities for various patterns of aids, guides, and protocols are ently? How would you change fire behavior are systematically working. By systematically reflect­ the way you used the aid, guide, explored through an estimate of ing upon our fire behavior forecasts protocol, or model/system in this the situation based upon the and the tools that helped us pre­ different approach? combined effects of weather, pare them, we become the masters fuels, and topography.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Fire Management Today (67[2] Spring 2007) Will Focus on the Rich History and Role of Aviation in Wildland Fire
    Fire today ManagementVolume 67 • No. 1 • Winter 2007 MUTINY ON BOULDER MOUNTAIN COMPARING AGENCY AND CONTRACT CREW COSTS THE 10 FIREFIGHTING ORDERS, DOES THEIR ARRANGEMENT REALLY MATTER? United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Coming Next… Just 16 years after the Wright brothers’ historic first flight at Kitty Hawk, the Forest Service pioneered the use of aircraft. The next issue of Fire Management Today (67[2] Spring 2007) will focus on the rich history and role of aviation in wildland fire. This issue will include insights into the history of both the rappelling and smokejumping programs, the development of the wildland fire chemical systems program, and what’s new with the 747 supertanker. The issue’s special coordinator is Melissa Frey, general manager of Fire Management Today. Fire Management Today is published by the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by law of this Department. Fire Management Today is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, at: Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: 202-512-1800 Fax: 202-512-2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001 Fire Management Today is available on the World Wide Web at <http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fmt/index.html>. Mike Johanns, Secretary Melissa Frey U.S. Department of Agriculture General Manager Abigail R. Kimbell, Chief Paul Keller Forest Service Managing Editor Tom Harbour, Director Madelyn Dillon Fire and Aviation Management Editor The U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Fall 2009 Arrowhead Newsletter
    Arrowhead • Fall 2009 1 Arrowhead Fall 2009 • Vol. 16 • No. 4 The Newsletter of the Employees & Alumni Association of the National Park Service Published By Eastern National FROM THE DIRECTOR Port Chicago Naval Magazine s I write this A column, my first as National N MEM Added to Park System Park Service direc- tor, I am remember- he National Park System has gained cisco, hurled debris in the air, obliterat- resume loading ships for the war effort. ing my confirmation ed both ships and killed everyone at the just a few weeks Ta new park: Port Chicago Naval Many refused to continue their work ago. Although I Magazine National Memorial in Con- waterfront. To this day, because of the without safety training, and the U.S. accepted this re- cord, Calif. With President Obama’s tragedy, ignition sources for bombs and Navy charged 50 of these men with sponsibility humbled by its impor- signing of the Defense Authorization guns are loaded separately on carriers. “conspiring to make mutiny.” They tance and excited about the Act, on Oct. 28 Port Chicago became The disaster caused the greatest loss of were tried, convicted and imprisoned. possibilities, something happened the 392nd unit of a system fondly life on the home front during World War After the war, they were released, grant- that has happened countless referred to as “America’s best idea.” II. Three-hundred-twenty men died, and ed clemency, allowed to complete their times throughout my career—when “The addition of Port Chicago demon- almost 400 others were injured. Of the military service and given honorable dis- I thought it couldn’t get any strates a commitment to make America’s 320 killed, 202 were African Americans.
    [Show full text]
  • Traditional Ecological Knowledge to Develop and Maintain Fire Regimes
    2 AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Frank K. Lake for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Sciences presented on May 10, 2007. Title: Traditional Ecological Knowledge to Develop and Maintain Fire Regimes in Northwestern California, Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion: Management and Restoration of Culturally Significant Habitats Abstract approved: ________________________________________________________ Steve R. Radosevich The use of Native American fire regimes evolved in the Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion over millennia. A mixture of Native American and Euro-American socio- cultural management has developed from adaptations to climate, topography, ecological processes, and land use practices. This research incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to partially examine the role of tribal fire uses and ethnobotany. Research methods use an interdisciplinary approach to characterize fuels and fire management issues in culturally significant riparian and terrestrial habitats. Tribal fuels and fire management practices were investigated. Understanding past tribal fire management systems is needed to place contemporary Native American fuels and fire management issues in to context for government agencies and private interest that have altered tribal opportunities to continue fire uses. This study examined fire effects on sandbar willow (Salix exigua) in valley riparian zones along the lower mid-Klamath River. Prescribed fire was used to induce sprouting of sandbar willow and reduce insect populations to improve basket material quantity and quality. Results indicate that flooding had greater affects on the structure, composition, and abundance of vegetation and fuels than prescribed fire. A second 3 experiment to compare the effect of propane burning and pruning sandbar willow indicated that propane burning was less effective than pruning to improve stem morphology for basket weaving.
    [Show full text]
  • DOCUMENT RESUME ED 297 144 CE 050 651 TITLE Washington
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 297 144 CE 050 651 TITLE Washington State Traffic Safety Education Curriculum Guide. A Master Guide for Implementing a Performance-Based Curriculum. INSTITUTION Washington Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia. Div. of Vocational-Technical and Adult Education Services. PUB DATE Apr 87 NOTE 338p. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use - Guides (For Teachers) (052) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PC14 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Driver Education; High Schools; Motor Vehicles; *Safety Education; Signs; Traffic Accidents; Traffic Control; *Traffic Safety ABSTRACT This guide for implementing performance-based curriculum is intended to teach students decision-making driving. Heavy emphasis is put on the tasks and concepts involving traffic flow tasks (interacting with other highway users) and the functions and factors that affect that interaction. It is a "90-hour" guide, that is, the average student needs about 90 hours of classroom and independent study time to complete the activities, exclusive of in-car lessons and practice. Nineteen modules are providedm introduction to the highway transportation system, preparing and controlling, maneuvering in limited space; signs, signals, and pavement markings; human functions; intersections; traffic flow; lane changes; passing on two-lane roadway; freeway driving; complex driving; obtaining a driver's license; avoiding and minimizing impact, vehicle malfunctioning; vehicle characteristics, motorcycle awareness, nonmoturized traffic; roadway variations; limited visibility, lessened traction, special driving conditions; legal responsibilities, post-crash responsibilities; planning for travel; internal factors, physical factors, alcohol and ,ther drugs; vehicle maintenance; and system improvement, fuel conservation. Each module consists of a list of objectives; student learning activities (classroom group and independent study); teacher-led discussion outline; overhead transparency masters; study sheets; and worksheets.
    [Show full text]
  • The Leadership Challenge
    Praise for the Fifth Edition of The Leadership Challenge “My heart goes out to Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner with the deepest gratitude for this book, the most powerful leadership resource available. It is providential that at a time of the lowest level of trust and the highest level of cynicism, The Leader- ship Challenge arrives with its message of hope. When there are dark days in our lives, Kouzes and Posner will shine a light.” —Frances Hesselbein, former CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA; author, My Life in Leadership “Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have taken one of the true leadership classics of the late twentieth century and made it freshly relevant for today’s twenty-first century leaders. It is a must-read for today’s leaders who aspire to contribute in a more significant way tomorrow.” —Douglas R. Conant, New York Times bestselling author, TouchPoints; retired CEO, Campbell Soup Company “For twenty-five years, the names Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have been synony- mous with leadership. There is a reason for that. This book, in its new and updated form, demonstrates that leadership is a challenge you must win every day. It shows that every leader is unique, with his or her own style, and it helps you find your style. But the real beauty of this book is that it does not just tell you about leader- ship. It takes you by the hand, and walks you through the steps necessary to be better at what you do. It also gives you the confidence to take the kinds of risks every leader needs to take to succeed.
    [Show full text]
  • News Headlines 09/09/2020
    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ News Headlines 09/09/2020 CAL FIRE California Statewide Fire Summary for Wednesday Morning, September 9, 2020 El Dorado Fire Wednesday: Containment Grows But New Evacuation Warnings In Place 1 CAL FIRE California Statewide Fire Summary for Wednesday Morning, September 9, 2020 Staff Writer, Gold Rush Cam Posted: Friday, September 9, 2020 September 9, 2020 - Yesterday, and overnight, wind conditions allowed many fires to grow significantly with extreme fire behavior. While containment on Cal firemany of last month’s lightning fires grows closer, several new wildfires ignited and were fanned by strong gusty winds. Today approximately 14,000 firefighters are battling 28 major wildfires across California. The newest fire, the Willow in Yuba County, broke out late last evening near the community of Dobbins, forcing evacuations. The Bear Fire, which is part of the North Complex, spread rapidly yesterday due to Red Flag conditions and moved towards multiple communities east of Oroville, and forced more evacuations. This year, wildfires have now burned over 2.5 million acres in California. There have been 8 fatalities and over 3,700 structures destroyed. While Red Flag Warnings remain in effect across much of the state, winds are expected to weaken as we go through the day. Wind gusts are possible up to 55mph in mountain and foothill areas. Minimum humidity will be mainly in the single digits and teens through Wednesday and will likely increase Thursday. Tomorrow, wind conditions improve and seasonal temperatures and dry conditions will persist into the weekend. Do you have a plan for all your family should a wildfire strike near you? Don’t forget everyone, including your four-legged family members! Have a plan in place for your pets, and have go bag ready for them to keep with yours.
    [Show full text]
  • Command 1C: WUI Command Operations for the Company Officer
    Command 1C: WUI Command Operations for the Company Officer Student Manual January 2013 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Office of the State Fire Marshal State Fire Training COMMAND 1C WUI Command Operations For The Company Officer Published By State Fire Training Po Box 944246 Sacramento, CA 94244-2460 January 2013 COMMAND 1C WUI Command Operations for the Company Officer TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................ i Unit 1: The Wildland Urban Interface Environment Topic 1-1: Fire Suppression in the Wildland Urban Interface Environment ........................................... 1 Defining the WUI .............................................................................................................................. 1 WUI Hazards .................................................................................................................................... 2 Key Points from Historical Fires ........................................................................................................ 3 Firefighting Challenges ................................................................................................................... 10 Topic 1-2: Community Partnership Initiatives..................................................................................... 12 Fire Safe Council ............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Fire Management Today Volume 62 ¥ No
    Fire Management today Volume 62 • No. 3 • Summer 2002 THIRTYMILEHIRTYMILE FIREIRE United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service CORRECTION: BEAR RIVER FIRE The cover of the Summer 2001 issue of Fire Management Today (volume 61, number 3) shows a silhouetted firefighter identified as a member of the Payson Hotshots. A reader notified Fire Management Today that the firefighter in the photo was actually a member of his crew, the Flagstaff Hotshots. The photo shows the 1994 Bear River Fire (not “Bear Creek Fire,” as the caption states) on Idaho’s Boise National Forest. The caption states that the fire had a low suppression cost, which is true but misleading. The fire was overrun by the Rabbit Creek Fire shortly after containment. Suppression costs were low in part because mopup costs were minimal. Thanks for the correction go to Paul F. Musser, Superintendent, Flagstaff Interagency Hotshot Crew, Flagstaff, AZ. Fire Management Today is published by the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by law of this Department. Fire Management Today is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, at: Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: 202-512-1800 Fax: 202-512-2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001 Fire Management Today is available on the World Wide Web at <http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fire_new/fmt/>. Ann M. Veneman, Secretary April J. Baily U.S. Department of Agriculture General Manager Dale Bosworth, Chief Robert H.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion and Education: a Study of the Interrelationship Between Fundamentalism and Education in Contemporary America Lanny R
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works May 1985 Religion and Education: A Study of the Interrelationship Between Fundamentalism and Education in Contemporary America Lanny R. Bowers East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Other Education Commons Recommended Citation Bowers, Lanny R., "Religion and Education: A Study of the Interrelationship Between Fundamentalism and Education in Contemporary America" (1985). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2639. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2639 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS Tliis reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us Tor microfilming. While the most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this document, the quality of the reproduction is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques Is provided to help clarify markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure complete continuity.
    [Show full text]
  • 0 Richmond Cover CWPP
    DRAFT 11/8/2019 Richmond CWPP Community Wildfire Protection Plan An Appendix to the Contra Costa Countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Contra Costa County Prepared by Richmond Fire Department In conjunction with the Diablo Fire Safe Council Stakeholder Committee Members Table of Contents Executive Summary Introduction Scope and Purpose Section 1: City of Richmond Information 1.1 City Overview 1.2 The Planning Process & Stakeholders 1.3 Integration with Other Plans and Initiatives Section 2: Fire Hazard and Risk in the Wildland Urban Interface 2.1 Wildfire Environment 2.2 Wildland Urban Interface Risk and Hazard Assessments 2.2.1 Potential for Wildfire to Occur 2.2.2. What to Protect - Values at Risk within the WUI 2.2.3 Protection Capabilities 2.3 Strategies for Reducing Risk within the WUI Section 3: Recommended Action Plan 3.1 Selection of Recommended Priorities 3.2 Information, Education and Collaborative Planning Priorities 3.3 Enhanced Suppression Capability and Emergency Preparedness Priorities Section 4: Prioritizing Fuel Reduction Treatments 4.1 Hazardous Fuels Management 4.2 Fuels Reduction Treatments – Geographically Based Projects 4.3 Fuel Reduction Treatments – Related Priorities 4.4 Environmental Review and Permitting Section 5: Prioritizing Treatment of Structure Ignitability 5.1 Structure Ignitibility 5.2 Key Ignition Resistance Factors 5.3 Improving the Survivability of Structures within the WUI 5.4 “Home Hardening” - Retrofitting an Existing Structure for Survivability Section 6: Sustaining the Plan 6.1
    [Show full text]
  • News Headlines 8/12-14/2017
    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ News Headlines 8/12-14/2017 The things she carried High Desert residents recall past wildfires Trial by fire Brought together by Bluecut: Volunteers reflect a year later Rebuilding a rarity after Bluecut Fire A year after Bluecut Fire, hotel price gouging claims still under probe Two elderly hikers found dead at Amboy Crater Yorba Linda couple identified as hikers found dead near Amboy Crater Two hikers found dead near Amboy Crater Couple who went hiking in triple-digit heat found dead in the Mojave Desert Two Hikers Found Dead At Amboy Crater Saturday Firefighters work in darkness to battle wash fire in Highland Fire burns old store on Highway 173 in Hesperia San Bernardino fire 1 The things she carried Matthew Cabe, Daily Press Posted: August 12, 2017, 12:57 PM A year after the Pilot Fire, Jeanne Helsley looks over her Hesperia property. Helsley had to evacuate, and did so for the first time without the help of her husband, who died in 2012. [James Quigg, Daily Press] HESPERIA — There wasn’t much time. Evacuations had been ordered. Jeanne Helsley could see the Pilot Fire as it torched the Pinnacles — a popular hiking destination — from her home just north of the Joshua Inn, a dive bar that she said has produced “good neighbors.” “I was out in a half-hour,” Helsley recalled. She’d been through this before. After moving to Hesperia in 1979, Helsley and her husband, Eugene, were thrice evacuated during large fires. But this time was different. “Previously I had a husband. He passed away five years ago,” Helsley said.
    [Show full text]
  • You Are About to Be Entrapped Or Burned Over by a Wildfire: What Are Your Survival Options?
    Forest Ecology and Management 234S (2006) S6 www.elsevier.com/locate/foreco Abstract You are about to be entrapped or burned over by a wildfire: What are your survival options? M.E. Alexander 1 Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta., Canada Keywords: Case studies; Fatalities; Firefighter safety; Public safety; Wildland fires The danger of being entrapped or burned over and possibly (or in the case of wildland firefighters in the U.S., have a killed or seriously injured by a wildfire is very real threat for protective fire shelter). The four survival options are: people living, working or visiting rural areas subject to wildfires. Sometimes there may be no chance to easily escape Retreat from the fire and reach a safe haven. an approaching wildfire. Injuries can be minimized or Burn out a safety area. avoided and possible death adverted by adhering to certain Hunker in place. fundamental principles and procedures. There are, however, Pass through the fire edge into the burned-out area. four simple concepts that one must try to adhere to at all times: These four survival options are presented in no particular order of priority. Such factors as the size of the fire, the fire Select an area that would not burn – the bigger the better – or environment, the size and location of safety areas or zones, the failing that, with the least amount of combustible material, prevailing fire behavior, and the location of the person with and one that offers the best microclimate (e.g., depression in respect to the head of fire will ultimately dictate which option the ground).
    [Show full text]