Staying Safe During and After a Wildfire

Fire is a spectacular sight, and it can also be dangerous. But when used in a safe contained and controlled atmosphere it can bring warmth, comfort and illumination. However, when that containment breaks down it becomes unfriendly and deadly, whether a house fire or a large conflagration. This article provides a look at where fire comes from, how it works and what you can do to stay safe during and after a wildfire.

Fire is the visible result of a special type of chemical reaction called combustion. This process happens when fuel (such as wood or gasoline) reacts with oxygen to release energy in the form of heat. The hot vaporized fuel expands, and the pressure from the gases can cause the door or window to sag or even burst. The flames that emit the light and heat are hypnotic and visually engaging, which is why people like to gather around a fire in a fireplace or to gaze at the dancing flames of a gas or electric fire.

The most important thing to know about fire is that it can’t survive without fuel and oxygen. Fuel must be heated to its ignition temperature, and the burning gasses must combine with oxygen in a ratio known as stoichiometric proportions (fuel gas + air combustion products).

Without these two ingredients, fire dies. Fortunately, fuel is abundant in nature and easily ignited by heat or spark. And, the oxygen in the air is plentiful as well, especially in the upper atmosphere where it can be concentrated by weather conditions such as low wind speeds.

When these conditions are present, the fire can rage and the flames can dance, but it’s a good idea to keep some basic safety principles in mind during this time. If a wildfire approaches your home, be sure to close all open doors and windows. If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately. Don’t try to escape the fire by driving your car, and don’t walk through smoky areas or near fallen power lines.

Once the fire has passed, take care when returning to your property. Check for damage to your utility systems and report it to the appropriate company. Also, look for smoldering debris that may have caught on to your roof or gutters and for embers that are still smoldering in shrubs or under decks.

Fire is an essential part of some ecosystems, removing dead vegetation and recycling nutrients back into the soil. Fires in grassy meadows and pine forests clear the undergrowth that can trap snow, and they can help trees by reducing the number of branches that hang over the ground, acting as ladders for the fire to reach their upper canopy. Finally, some plants and animals need the benefits of fire to survive and reproduce, including lodgepole pine seeds that are enclosed in resin that must be melted by fire to release them. Without this natural cycle of renewal, some ecosystems may be overpopulated with too many organisms and out of balance with their environment.