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M$1.50 September 01, 2009 01:47 AM

How do we prevent/control Wild fire?

When it is part of the natural process, in small areas, it has benefits.
But when it is man made, destroying large areas and affects residential area, the loss of life and property and negative effects on the ecosystem.
We all are aware of the negative effects, so I am not listing them here.

1. Methods of prevention
2. Methods to control before it becomes too big and creates its own weather system.

I wonder why big corporations like Google or Microsoft haven't launched any projects to help prevent these disasters.
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September 01, 2009 03:13 AM
I was born and raised in, well, the forest. Unlike fires that affect urban areas, wildfires destroyed not only our homes, but entire ecosystems and our primary trade resource: lumber. During fire season, the sound of a helicopter shaking our windows was terrifying--it meant that a fire was very close. A helicopter followed by a power outage meant the fire was very close and spreading. Because of this daily reality, my area was well-versed in fire prevention and control.

Prevention
  1. Fire-Safe Landscaping - remove all dead plants, dry grass, excess leaves, etc.; plant fire-resistant plants, such as California Redbud; clear 100ft of defensible area around the home; store firewood at least 30ft from the home
  2. Obey Fire Season - DO NOT burn debris or smoke within 20ft of dry grass/plants (dispose of all butts properly - so many highway fires are caused by some lazy tourist flicking a lit cigarette butt out of a car window)
  3. Burn Days - Only burn debris on designated burn days, clear at least 20ft around the burn area, and stay with your fire. While debris burning is by nature a controlled fire, sloppy attendance can allow that fire to slip out of control in a gust of wind, when a tree branch falls unexpectedly, etc.
  4. Campfires - Burn in clear areas, either in a designated fire pit or in a correctly constructed one, and extinguish it fully (burying it with dirt is best). Smokey the Bear knows his stuff on this one; check out http://www.smokeybear.com/campfire-safety.asp.
  5. Tourists - Locals to a fire-prone area should inform tourists of the dangers and the basics of prevention.
  6. Educate Against Arson - Teach children (and adults) about the effects of a rampant, uncontrollable fire. People who purposefully start fires often comment that they "didn't think it would do that much damage".
  7. Common Sense - If you know something is flammable, do not expose it to a flame.

http://jdrakeproductions.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/smokey-bear-only-you-tin-sign-c11751172.jpeg
Only you can prevent forest fires.

Control
  1. Community Wildfire Protection Plan - Should be established to organize control measures and evacuation for a given area
  2. National Fire Plan - Addresses firefighting, rehabilitation, hazardous fuels reduction, community assistance, and accountability measures (see http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/NFP/overview.shtml)
  3. Highway Control Burns - Should be used in advance to clear dry grass, which prevents wildfire from "jumping" the highway and creates a fire line:
  4. Fire Lines - A defensible barrier cleared in advance to prevent a wildfire from spreading uncontrollably. Bulldozers/tractor plows can be used to create an emergency fire line.
  5. Water Delivery System - Other than fire engines, which cannot reach all areas, helicopters and air tankers are the most common method of delivery. Sometimes, the vehicles used to create an emergency fire line will also carry water reserves.
  6. Firefighters - Areas of high fire risk should train and maintain enough firefighters to protect themselves. I can't tell you how many times Southern California has called out firefighters from my hometown, leaving us defenseless against our own fires.

The links I use in this response are primarily for California, but a quick search can give you the same information you need for your area. I also don't really address the matter of more "urban" fire measures; I would be interested to learn more about that.
Source(s):
1. Fire-Safe Landscaping: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/rural/landscap...
2. Fire-Resistant California Plants: http://www.bewaterwise.com/fire02.html
3. Debris Burning: http://www.smokeybear.com/debris-burning.asp
4. Campfire Safety: http://www.smokeybear.com/campfire-safety.asp
5. Community Wildfire Protection Plan: http://www.cafirealliance.org/cwpp/
6. National Fire Plan: http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/NFP/overview.shtml
7. "Tools" of Control: http://www.smokeybear.com/tools-of-the-trade.asp

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September 01, 2009 03:15 PM
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September 01, 2009 02:20 AM
There are some methods that can you do to prevent wildfire!!!!!!!!!

1. Take the precautionary measures stated in the manual of your appliances that can potentially start a fire. An example of these devices is the heater. Fortunately, most of the heaters manufactured today have safety features like auto shut off when it falls. However, you should still be careful with it. You have to see to it that there are no flammable objects near it. Such flammable objects are carpets, drapes, papers, and wood.

2. Designate a separate storage area for flammable items you have at home. If you have excess paint at home or other flammable liquid, build a structure that will house it outside your home. Storing it in a separate structure will keep your home safe in case the paints start a fire. Do not store it together with a bulk of newspapers because these papers can ignite and start a fire.

3. Be responsible if you are a smoker. Smokers have caused several fires in the past. One common scenario was when a smoker falls asleep while having a lit cigarette on his hand. Another is when a person absent-mindedly threw his smoke, not knowing that there are flammable objects there.

When disposing a cigarette, see to it that the flame is completely out. Most importantly, do not sleep with a lighted cigarette on your hand.

4. Do not leave open flames unattended. This includes candles and cooking stoves. Always look after what you are cooking. Do not leave lighted candles in any room as well. Put out the flames before leaving the room. The same with the heaters, turn it off when there is no one in the room. Do not leave it on when you sleep as well.

5. Educate your children about the danger of playing with flames. Children love to play with anything. Provide a strict policy on playing with flames. They should understand its danger so that the kids will take your instruction seriously.

Tags: wildfire, stop, prevention

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September 01, 2009 02:22 AM
Most wildfires start as a result of arson. There really is no way of preventing that. However, keeping brush/overgrowth under control, and taking proper precautions when handling fire of any kind (properly extinguishing camp fires, cigarettes, etc) is a good start. Also, properly caring for machinery, growing plants around your home that will not act as fuel for a fire, and using non-flammable materials on and around your home.

As reported by CBS news, "Wildfire is one of the most destructive natural forces known to mankind. While sometimes caused by lightning, nine out of ten wildfires are human-caused. "Wildfire" is applied to any unwanted and unplanned fire burning in forest, shrub or grass. More than 900 homes are destroyed by wildfires each year."

"How can you protect your house for wildfire safety?

-Design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind.
-Select materials and plants that can help contain fire rather than fuel it.
-Use fire resistant or non-combustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of the dwelling. Or treat wood or combustible material used in roofs, siding, decking, or trim with UL-approved fire-retardant chemicals.
-Plant fire-resistant shrubs and trees. For example, hardwood trees are less flammable than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus or fir trees."

"How do wildfires spread?

In combination, weather, topography and fuel supply determine how destructive a wildfire will be. A fire burns in a patchwork of intensity and as it spreads, it can even create its own weather patterns. Spreading into the crown of the tree, the fire nourishes itself with oxygen drawn from below (like a chimney). Hurled by the convective drafts, floating embers can ignite dry fuel far from the fire."

"How can you prevent wildfires?

-Don't park your vehicle on dry grass.
-If off-road vehicle use is allowed, internal combustion equipment requires a spark arrester.
-Know your county's outdoor burning regulations. Unlawful trash burning is a punishable offense.
-At the first sign of a wildfire, leave area immediately by established trails or roads. Contact a Ranger as soon as possible. If escape route is blocked, go to the nearest lake or stream.
-Never take burning sticks out of a fire.
-Never use stoves, lanterns and heaters inside a tent.
-Store flammable liquid containers in a safe place."

It is made explicitly clear that wildfires are extremely dangerous and aside from these preventative measures, we (anyone other than a trained fire fighter) should NOT attempt to fight it ourselves.
Source(s):
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/27/fyi/main2132341.shtml
http://www.smokeybear.com/wildfires.asp


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September 01, 2009 08:55 AM
Part of the reason for the increase in the number of severe wildfires in recent years is that early methods of fire management were misguided and ultimately counterproductive. For decades, fire was considered an enemy, a foe to be destroyed wherever it appeared. Unfortunately, this approach failed to take into account the role of naturally occurring fires in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. The habitats destroyed by fire are repopulated by a succession of different species, and frequent small fires result in a patchwork of different stages of succession, increasing the overall biodiversity of the region. In addition, and more relevant in terms of fire suppression, more frequent burning of small areas results in less accumulation of dead brush and other fuels and actually decreases the risk of a major wildfire.

Short of banning all human activity in fire-prone areas, there is little that can be done to prevent all human-caused wildfires. All the Smoky Bear ads in the world can't stop accidents, carelessness, arson, and just plain stupidity from happening, and even natural fires pose an increasing risk as development spreads into more rural areas. Unfortunately, controlling a wildfire is an extremely labor-intensive task under the best of conditions and can become impossible under adverse conditions. (The intensity of the Station Fire currently burning north of Los Angeles is the result of a combination of high temperatures, low humidity, inaccessible terrain, several years of drought, and up to 60 years' worth of fuel buildup...and even this isn't a worst-case scenario because the winds have been generally light and mainly due to the fire itself. If this fire were being blown by Santa Ana winds up to 80+ miles per hour, it could have burned all the way to the Pacific Ocean.)

The only way to beat down a major wildfire is to drown it from the air while choking off its fuel supply on the ground, and many wilderness areas are so isolated that a small fire can turn into a major inferno before fire crews could arrive on the scene. Uncontrolled wildfires are inevitable; and just as with hurricanes or tornadoes, even the very best preparedness plans may be inadequate.
Source(s):
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/journals/pnw_2005_donovan003.pdf
http://science.jrank.org/pages/7389/Wildfire-Post-fire-succession.html
http://www.interfire.org/features/wildfires.asp


Tags: fire, wildfire, control, prevention

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September 01, 2009 09:31 PM
Don't build houses there! Fire is a natural process, it kills off invasive species, reduces underbrush(which builds up and causes more massive fires), and adds nutrients to the soil.

As a species, we are constantly putting ourselves at odds with natural processes, not a good idea. Just like building in the Flood Plain or putting houses along the coast. Our efforts to prevent naturally occuring processes almost always end in disaster. Levies along the Mississippi are another good example.

Perhaps we need to change our attitude about conquering and owning the land we inhabit and think of ourselves as "stewards" of the land, to preserve it and not exploit it.

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September 01, 2009 11:05 PM
I couldnt agree more. I asked q question a while back about population control to reduce development and exploitation of the natural resources.

http://www.mahalo.com/answers/conservation/should-population-control-be-part-of-the-green-movement-in-every-country

But thats long term project. for now I was actually looking for measures to control the fire from spreading and destroying existing developments.

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September 03, 2009 12:48 AM
I believe in preserving and honoring nature. I have the utmost respect for the natural surroundings I grew up in--but that does not mean I am going to roll over and let it control where I live any more than a raging wildfire is going to roll over and let me control it. Living in a high-risk fire area is no different than a thousand other settlement compromises that have come before us. No location is ideal. But we have a tremendous ability to defend ourselves against fires via common sense and, when needed, solid reaction plans.

I do not mean this in a negative or disparaging way. I love where I grew up, and I suppose I am a bit offended by the comparison of my home to a flood plain, because so many fires are started by carelessness or ill intent and not a natural process, such as lightning. Flood plains are prone to flooding regardless of human involvement, but many fires can be prevented. In those cases, "controlling" the fire is not an attempt to conquer it, but an attempt to clean up our own mess.

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September 02, 2009 09:00 PM
The most important thing you can do is clean up the undergrowth. That means picking up all the dead leaves and twigs that fall under trees and bushes.

In Alberta, one of the things they do is give minimum-security prisoners the option to spend some time outdoors and not in a jail by signing up to march through the forests in orderly progression, picking all the flamable dead stuff off the ground, and it works pretty good, because Alberta does not have nearly as much trouble with forest fires as say BC for example, even though Alberta forests are dryer.

After that, have some really good water bombers on hand, ready to go at a second's notice. I'm talking big, powefull kick-ass water bombers. The best of that breed are from Russia.

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