Preparing millions of acres of land for fire season is a very daunting task, especially to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), which has to manage the open country of 55.7 million acres of land that is allotted to reservations in the United States. Incredibly, that is 2.3% of the entire United States. Even though that would be only a small spec of color on the Sprint coverage map, it’s vast enough to really tax the workers who have to oversee and control the wilderness of America’s west. California, Arizona, New Mexico, the Dakotas, Utah, and Oklahoma all have reservations that include areas of dense foliage that need to be guarded in case of an outbreak of wildfires.

Fire management has to be handled at many different levels in order to be effective. The overall objective is to have less fires, and to control them better and quicker when one does break out. So this means that individuals need to be informed of fire safety and fire laws while in areas that are prone to large fires if smaller ones get out of control. Also, trained workers need to be able to manage the brush and perhaps remove large sections of it with controlled burns, so that if a fire did come through the area, it would have substantially less fuel and not get anywhere. Just these two tasks alone are monumental when spread over such a large area, so you can only imagine the logistics involved with rehabilitating burned land, planning for how emergency vehicles and aircraft will reach the areas that are fire prone, properly educating the populace to practice fire safety, and reduce fuel in the areas that they believe are prone to create large unstoppable wildfires. The BIA and fire management crews truly have their work cut out for them.

The wildfires that make the news are vilified for good reason. These out-of-control burns pose threats to people’s lives and property. Often, they are also dangerous to natural ecosystems. Though some of these fires are caused by arson or by careless people, others occur because of the inevitable build-up of plants in areas that have not been allowed to burn for one reason or another. If these areas were allowed to burn naturally, the resulting fires would actually benefit the surrounding environment. However, if allowed to build up, they can cause uncontrollable conflagrations. We would often be better off letting nature take its course. Let’s examine some benefits of natural wildfires.

Prevention

As mentioned before, if we allow wildfires to happen naturally, they become a part of the natural order of things. These fires can burn large areas, but they promote biodiversity by consuming species that have overstepped their bounds. This process is similar to natural selection. For example, if an animal is transported into an ecosystem where it has no natural enemies, it may grow unchecked and wreak havoc on the environment. If fires don’t burn certain plants, they can profligate and overwhelm other plants.

Improving Soil

Fires also are useful because they break down vegetation that will eventually enrich the soil with its minerals. This allows the soil to support a more diverse array of plant life, which in turn supports more animal species. Again, the downside of allowing an environment to stagnate is that one species or another may become too dominant and crowd out other species. This is not, in itself, such a bad thing. However, by doing this, the successful species can unintentionally get rid of the food chain below it, thereby depriving itself of a food supply in the future. If we don’t allow fires to happen, we work against nature.

Fire: a danger probably lurking somewhere in the back of our minds. It’s something few of us think about, yet it’s an ever-present risk. It would probably not be good for us to dwell on the possibility of a dangerous fire, but we would be wise to consider the risks to see whether or not we have taken the necessary precautions. With that in mind, here are a few fire facts to consider and the implications of each.

Smoke Detectors

Every year, more than 4000 people in the US die in fires – and most of these fires are preventable. Smoke detectors alone would prevent most of these fires. However, many homes do not have smoke detectors. Also, many homes have smoke detectors that are broken, or that are missing batteries. Sometimes, people take the batteries out of their smoke detectors because the sound is a nuisance when cooking, but this can be a deadly mistake. Checking your smoke detectors is one of the easiest ways to prevent your family from being harmed by a fire.

Speed

If you imagine waking up with your house on fire, you might think about what you’d do, what treasured possessions you might try to save, or even how to round up the family pets. The brutal truth is that fire often spreads faster than you have time to react. A house can fill with thick, choking smoke in minutes, and you might wake up to find that this is the case. Flames can spread throughout a room in a matter of seconds as well. The reality is that there is only time to escape. And, other family members should have a plan to get out on their own without gathering first. Having such a plan in place can literally mean the difference between life and death if your house catches fire.

Deep down, we know that fires are deadly, but if we imagine being caught in a burning building, many of us may think we can handle the situation. We may have delusions of grandeur as we imagine rescuing our loved ones or co-workers, like people do in the movies. However, the reality is that usually, we are no match for a fire’s power. If we accept this, it makes it more likely that we will make smart choices if we do find ourselves in a fire. Here is some information that we may already know, but revisiting it is probably wise since it will serve as a reminder of just how dangerous fire can be.

Heat Danger

Obviously, fire is hot. However, what some people don’t realize is just how hot the air in a burning room can get. If you’re standing up in a burning room, the air temperature can measure 500 degrees or more – hot enough to burn your sensitive breathing passages and lung tissue. This is one of the reasons that we learn to crawl around in a fire (the other reason being that crawling allows us to inhale less smoke).

Fire Is Darker Than You Think

Though we usually think of fire as something that provides light, a house fire can, in fact, be quite the opposite. The dark smoke that a fire can create can fill a house, blotting out the light and making it difficult to see. Another good reason to crawl.

Smoke Kills

In fires, most people do not die from the fire itself – they die from smoke inhalation. The toxic smoke and gases that house fires create are deadly because they can make people pass out, both from their toxicity and from the lack of oxygen in the air. Unfortunately, this lack of oxygen deprives us of our normal acuity, making us slower to think and react.

Reading about statistics can be depressing, particularly when they describe death and destruction. And though becoming obsessed with such statistics is not healthy for us, often, we can glean some practical information from them. In the case of fire, analyzing some statistics illuminates some helpful information. With that in mind, let’s take a quick look at some sobering yet educational facts about fires.

Cook With Care

The leading cause of house fires is cooking. Though these are not the deadliest kind of house fires, since usually people are awake when they are cooking, these fires are obviously still dangerous to people and their property. Cooking fires usually happen as a result of people leaving something unattended on the stove or in the oven. They usually are not the fault of the stove or oven malfunctioning. A good way to prevent cooking fires is to never go too far from the stove if you’re using it. Also, having a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen is a must.

Stop Smoking

Though they are not the most common house fires, fires caused by smoking materials are the deadliest fires. Part of the reason for this is that still-burning cigarettes often start fires when people are sleeping. Obviously, quitting smoking is a great way to prevent smoking fires, but if you’re not willing to quit, it’s helpful to make sure furniture and bedding in your home is made of flame-retardant material.

Deliberate Fires

Perhaps surprisingly, arson causes the most fire-related deaths after smoking. Arson is the term used when someone maliciously starts a fire. This type of fire is probably so deadly because many arsonists start fires at night, when people are sleeping. Also, arsonists often try to create the biggest fire possible in the shortest amount of time. Arson also includes wildfires that are set deliberately.

Your family’s safety is obviously paramount. Your children get regular check-ups at the doctor, they go to the dentist every six months, they wear their seatbelts, and they look both ways before they cross the street. Undoubtedly, you’ve taught them something about the dangers of fire and what they should do in the event of a house fire. However, it can be a good idea to review this information with them, particularly in the case of a fire escape plan. During a real house fire, it may be difficult or even impossible to communicate with your kids, so they’ll need to know what to do without your help. Here is some advice about a fire escape plan – it may help your kids remember what to do, especially if you explain the whys to them.

Every Six Months

Just like a trip to the dentist, a fire escape plan review should happen at least every six months, so it stays fresh in your family’s minds. In a tension-filled situation like a house fire, it can be more difficult for people to think clearly. Due to this lack of clarity, people need to be on auto-pilot in the event of a fire. Regular practice of an escape plan makes it easier to children to do the right thing in a fire without pausing to think.

Two Ways Out

Your fire escape plan should also provide multiple exits. It’s impossible to predict where the fire will be if it happens. If a door is unusable, there should be an alternate way to get out of a room. Children should be taught to feel doors before they open them to test if they’re safe – if a door is warm to the touch, it should not be opened, and another exit should be sought.

In the winter months, our houses or apartments may feel cold and drafty due to frigid outdoor temperatures, cheap landlords, or inadequate insulation. To combat this, many of us buy additional heating sources to try to stay warm. Usually, these heating sources – for example, kerosene heaters and space heaters – are safe, but they also cause many fires every year due to improper or careless use. People who live in rural areas tend to use supplemental heaters more often and are therefore more at risk than people who reside in cities or suburban areas. If you’re going to use a heater, make sure you know how to use it and be sure that you take the appropriate precautions. Here are some tips for safer home heating.

Wood Stove Safety

When selecting a wood stove, look for solid construction. Wood stoves should not be prone to cracking, and generally, stoves made of solid metal are safer than flimsier models. After you’ve purchased a wood-burning stove, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Don’t burn anything other than dry wood in the stove – no trash, paper, or green wood should be used. And, make sure that you keep anything that could catch fire away from the stove.

Fireplace Safety

When using a fireplace, it’s important to remember that a compound called creosote can build up in your chimney. A heavy buildup of creosote can make your chimney more likely to catch fire. Like wood stoves, it’s important to only burn dry wood in your fireplace – burning other substances can make creosote build up more rapidly. The front of your fireplace should have a screen that completely covers the fireplace opening, and this screen should be sturdy enough to stop a log if it dislodges from the fire.

Whether they are called brush fires or forest fires, wildfires can be thought of as any out-of-control fire in a wilderness area. These fires are sometimes difficult or impossible to control. They can span thousands of acres. They can spread at rapid speeds, tearing their way up hillsides, over creeks, and even can jump highways. They consume whatever happens to get in their way. How then, do firefighters stop these forces of nature? Over time, firefighters have developed many techniques that aid in the fight against wildfires. These techniques, while not foolproof, can nonetheless stop many wildfires in their tracks and save human lives and property.

Detection

The first step in fighting a wildfire is early detection. Firefighters use aircraft, firetowers, and grass roots involvement to be vigilant about detecting fires while they are still small. Today, firefighters even use satellite technology to spot fires, and in high-risk areas, sometimes sensors are even used. These sensors are worth the expense because of the area’s proximity to a dense population center.

Suppression

Once the battle against a fire begins, it’s important to stop the fire from spreading. The edges of the fire are attacked with ground equipment that sprays water as well as aerial equipment that drops water on the fire. Cloud seeding can even be used to try to induce precipitation. It’s important for the firefighters to know, or at least guess, which way the fire is going. Using wind data, they can create a model of the fire that lets them predict, with some accuracy, where the fire might be in the next several hours. This can make it easier for suppression efforts to succeed. Of course, no model can predict a fire’s behavior with complete accuracy, but these efforts are worthwhile, and can save firefighters’ lives and stop the fire from spreading.

If you’re a smoker, you know how frustrating it can be when your cigarette goes out. Chances are, you didn’t light it very well, or maybe the tobacco was loose. The reason for this is that cigarette manufacturers have perfected the technique of making cigarettes burn evenly without going out. It only makes sense: if there was a cigarette brand that went out intermittently, it would probably not win many repeat buyers. However, since cigarettes stay lit so well, they are extremely dangerous in terms of causing fires. Dropping a match is innocuous; dropping a cigarette that could stay lit for a few minutes can easily ignite any combustible material in the area.

Butts Everywhere

Look out your window the next time you’re stuck in a traffic jam on the far left or right lane of the highway. No matter where you are, you’ll probably see several cigarette butts, even if there is not much other litter around. The implications of this are staggering – millions upon millions of burning cigarette butts are thrown out of car windows every year, simply because the smokers don’t want to deal with the smell and ash that the butts would create in their cars. This carelessness is certainly responsible for many brush fires every year, especially in areas like the southwestern US, where there is a long dry season. And, if the conditions are right, a highway brush fire can spread and become something much worse.

Smoking Campers Could Become Smoking Campers

Smoking while in a forest is even more dangerous. It is much more difficult to extinguish a forest fire than a highway brush fire because it is much harder for the firefighters to get to the fire. This is why forest fires can easily rage out of control and destroy thousands of acres of forest. If you’re a camper who smokes, take care with your cigarette butts, lest you literally become a smoking camper.

What’s better than camping? Fending for yourself in the great outdoors, enjoying the peace and quiet, and roasting marshmallows and hot dogs over a toasty campfire are all fun ways to spend a summer evening. Since millions of people go camping every year, it’s important for them to know how to build a campfire in a safe way. Forest fires are a serious threat. Not only can they threaten property and lives, but if a camper is found to be responsible for starting a fire, heavy fines and even jail time can be the result. Let’s think about a few ways to make campfires safer.

Clear The Area

Before starting a fire, it’s important to clear the area where the fire will be from any stray brush. Ideally, the fire should be built in some kind of pit, or in a clearing that is lined with rocks. These measures are especially important when building a fire in a dry area, or during a dry season. If you’re unsure of whether you’re in an area with a high fire risk, make sure to check with the park rangers. As a general rule, the drier the area, the more care you need to take when building the fire. Think about the sparks that the fire may create – you don’t want anything near enough for those sparks to ignite.

Extinguish It

Once you’re done with your fire, take the time to pour some water on it to make sure it’s fully extinguished. Fires can be deceptive. Often, embers are still hot enough to burn things, even if they look gray and cold. And, these embers can stay hot for several hours in some cases. Make sure a gust of wind in the night doesn’t create a nightmare for you and others – put out the fire before you turn in.