# Fire, Prepping for



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I have been searching for this topic for a while, years actually. 

There are many things we can prep for, but since the fire in Canada, it brings it front and center for me again. I think of a true SHTF situation when there is maybe no gas or fuel to drive out of the woods, if you are there, or even other places, you are just fuel for a raging fire. I wonder if you could even outrun it, on foot?

What could we do? Could we do anything? 

I have wondered: is there anyway to prepare for a fire and stay in place? Fire is fueled by burnable material and oxygen. I would think that all oxygen would be consumed by a raging fire. I would never recommend it to anyone. But I wonder if there have ever been any situations where someone has stayed in place with certain preparations and survived?

My only thought would be to be underground, in a deep, deep cave or something. A house and buildings can be built of fireproof materials, but, if a fire goes by, it is still a roll of the dice if people can survive. The fire would consume all the oxygen. 

Any thoughts or idea? I just can't think that anyone could survive.


----------



## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Fires don't consume all of the oxygen. If they did, the fire goes out.

There's several ways to protect yourself and your property.

If it's your property, clear the ground of all dead fall. Most fires will then move through quickly.

Forest firefighters have an insulated blanket. If they're trapped, time permitting they dig down a bit but they cover themselves.

If a fire is coming at you (let's say from the west), start a fire to your East and let that one burn west to east as well. As that fire proceeds, you follow it. When the fire comes from the west, it'll hit that fire you started and then run out of fuel. _This is a technique... I'm not in any way suggesting you start a forest fire._


----------



## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

That one guy up in Washington stayed in his cement house.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/mans-concrete-home-survives-raging-wildfire-washington/story?id=33286398


----------



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

hiwall said:


> That one guy up in Washington stayed in his cement house.
> http://abcnews.go.com/US/mans-concrete-home-survives-raging-wildfire-washington/story?id=33286398


That adds more desirability to that type of home. I am sure that many people have no desire to live in a home like that because of the look of it.

I have thought that a cinder block home with a metal roof would be a fireproof option. I think of concrete as being cold and somewhat uncomfortable, but the home in that story is actually three layers of materials, the outer layer being concrete, and that may increase the comfort level of living in the home.


----------



## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

I was a volunteer fireman for 20 years and during that time saw somethings that I would never expect. 

On one occasion we had a corn field fire in 30mph winds and we couldn't catch the leading edge of the fire. the fire was racing across the tops of the corn stalks easily at 30mph and it was jumping 200 foot creek bed as soon as it got there.

We had a house fire that was so intense that the fire created a rush of wind from all directions that was intensify the flame and eventually generated a fire tornado in the center of the house and was at least 100 feet tall.

We had one fire that ignited other houses and field as far away as a half mile because of the embers floating down wind.

My suggestion to at least slow a fire is to have a metal roof put on and if you have a brick exterior that helps. Even if woods as for away as a quarter mile was on fire you could still have embers float onto your roof.

I would never attempt to out run a fire. Also, a standard house does not have the volume of water to put out any real fire. I have heard of fire suppression deluges from pressurized tanks that can soak a whole house down in an emergency put it is only good for 30-60 seconds.

Firemen know that there is no fool proof way to protect yourself from a full blown fire. Numerous firemen have been killed when a fire over runs them, even with there protective gear and there thermal blankets.

In the case of the fire in Canada the smartest thing you can do is to get out of the area as fast as you can.


----------



## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Funny you brought this up, Weedy, as hubby & I are in the process of planning for fighting a fire. We've put out three fires that got away from a neighbor where we currently live, one that was started by an exploding rag in our shop, & put out one that go away from a neighbor at the property just Sunday. Apparently firefighting skills & equipment are going to be a necessity in our lives.  

Our current project is to put a water tank, pump, & hose on a small trailer that we could pull behind a four wheeler. On the trailer would also be a couple shovels, a burn/smoke inhalation/dehydration first aid kit, a few bottles of water & Gatorade, some bandanas & maybe a few smoke hoods. We probably should go for some basic firefighting training but we are swamped time wise right now. 

We are also trying to build some fire protection into the design & materials at the property. The shop/apartment exterior is made of metal & hardieboard, very little wood. We'll try to keep dead trees cleaned out, especially on the SW side of the property since that's where our wind generally comes from. We plan on having a couple 1000 gallon water storage tanks on top of the hill so that water could be used to fight fire. We need to learn more about things we can do to help protect our home in the event of wildfire. So much to learn & do, so little time!

In an EMP situation, we could still get out with the deuce & a half pulling the 5th wheel but having to leave most of our preps in that situation would be hard.


----------



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Tweto said:


> I have heard of fire suppression deluges from pressurized tanks that can soak a whole house down in an emergency put it is only good for 30-60 seconds.


In Colorado, there are two situations where house owners were prepared for wildfires. One had some sort of setup to release a type of foam that covered his home. I am not sure if that is similar.

Another home that survived a wildfire was one that was built with fireproof materials, but other than that, I have no idea what they were.


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

You don't have to have a dome or a bare concrete exterior to have a concrete home. 

My grandparents had a cinderblock home. Like every other of that type I have seen it was painted and paint burns. The weak point was the rafters which were wood. Once the flames got to the rafters it was all over. Today there are fire resistant paints. During the year that I lived with them we had a wild fire come right up to the road behind us. Had it crossed that road we would have had less than a hundred yards head start. When the smoke blew through the culvert it got our pulses up. The cars were packed and pointed down the drive. Build your house from noncombustible materials. If you already have a wood house a stone, brick, or cinderblock facia will help. 

Establish a defensible perimeter. The grandparents house had an embankment behind it, which was the direction the fire came from. The fire was higher than the house so radiation would have bee reduced. Then there was a cinderblock wall and a brick patio. There were not many plants within the patio area. The down hill side had an orchard with little in the way of ground cover. Immediately below the house was ice plant. This is a plant similar to aloe in that it had thick watery leaves and would not burn well. The weakness in the perimeter was a row of eucalyptus about forty yards from the house.

There are always weaknesses, you just need to take rational look at your situation and minimize them where and as you can.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

weedygarden said:


> That adds more desirability to that type of home. I am sure that many people have no desire to live in a home like that because of the look of it.
> 
> I have thought that a cinder block home with a metal roof would be a fireproof option. I think of concrete as being cold and somewhat uncomfortable, but the home in that story is actually three layers of materials, the outer layer being concrete, and that may increase the comfort level of living in the home.


My grandfather built his home on Long Island, New York out of cement. I believe the west wall facing the city was 3 feet thick. His goal was to build it to withstand an atomic blast. Since he built it in the 50s and 60s that makes sense. My dad doesn't talk much about that house but from what he has told me it had a fallout shelter in the basement. 

From google searches it looks like the house is still there and has the same features. I hope the current owners are preppers.


----------



## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

There are many things that can be done but everything has to be a decision of risk and reward. The odds of your particular house burning down is quite small but obviously it is still a possibility. Anyone can scrape and clear a good space around their home but it is again risk vs reward. Doing so may well lower the resale value of your home if you remove all the trees and such. Same when building a house or remolding. You can go with fire proof/resistant materials but again is it the look you wanted and then there is the added expense. We all constantly make decisions about our lives based mainly on our past experiences. In this case if you ever lost your house to fire chances are your next house would be way more fire resistant because of your past experience.


----------



## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

ZoomZoom said:


> Fires don't consume all of the oxygen. If they did, the fire goes out.
> 
> There's several ways to protect yourself and your property.
> 
> ...


This east fire going west toward the large fire is called"Back burning".
We wet our clothes & cut pine saplings to sweep the fire, when we are getting ready to burn off a field.

First we cut all weeds & grasses, so it is close to the ground, which will keep the wind from blowing the flame as it dose in underbrush.
Then rake the cut grass/weeds/brush toward the center of the field/area.
Then cut & turn or till the ground where the grass/weeds/leaves & brush 
has been removed. If you have time & water wet the tilled soil.
Then back burn against the wind.
Some of the farmer I know just back burn.
1) The cutting of under brush should be cut monthly around ALL buildings.
2)The cut under bush should be bagged & composted.
3)The tilled area is called a "Fire Break" & should be raked & turned every 6-8 weeks or as needed in dry weather.
4)Only wet the tilled soil/ Fire Break if you are going to burn or there is a forest fire in your area. 
5)Back burn only if you are burning off your land or there is a forest fire in your area.

NOTE: as with all my post if I missed something or post something that is out dated. Please up date.


----------



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

My home county has a couple books about the history of the county. I have them, and like to get them out and go through the stories written by families of their own history. There are a few stories that include pieces about prairie fires that were devastating, taking out crops, animals, barns, homes, and a few people. 

In South Dakota, as with much of the Plains, the wind blows incessantly, and pushed the fire from two counties away, in the stories I have read. 

I wonder if a root cellar would have been a safe place for people to hunker down, once they had done what they could to protect their home and homestead? I would think it could be for those who have homes that are not fireproof. 

I just keep wondering about a SHTF situation, and the limitations we could have if there was a fire. If we are prepped, and a fire takes it all out, it would be as though we had not even prepped, or even worse. 

Also, a house fire can do a lot of damage, and using alternative sources for heat and light that we and our families are not experienced raises our risk. My grandparents had two homes burn down. One caught fire when kerosene lanterns were being filled. Another time, they also returned from helping neighbors butcher a hog, to find their home burnt to the ground.


----------



## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

As far as preps a fire can never take your knowledge. That is why knowledge is so important. All our stockpiles of food or ammo or whatever will run out but we will still have our skills and knowledge.


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Anybody have any knowledge or experience with Thermo-Gel?


----------



## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Caribou said:


> Anybody have any knowledge or experience with Thermo-Gel?


It has been years and I'm not sure if it's the exact same product but I've seen it in action.
My aunt had 2 barns about 40 feet apart. She wanted the large one gone (about a 100 stanchion with loft) so she contacted the fire company.

Long story short but they sprayed some foam or gel on the barn to be kept then lit up the other one. It was a huge fire but that barn that was sprayed and only 40' away was completely untouched.


----------



## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

hiwall said:


> ... Anyone can scrape and clear a good space around their home but it is again risk vs reward....


Keeping area cleared around your buildings/homestead also has the benefit of preventing predators from sneaking in close to you.


----------



## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

The county that we live in here in S.W. Oregon works with a county fire protection agency that has worked up agreements with rural property owners that if they carry out and fulfill those agreements will not be charged for fighting fires that pass through our property, it amounts to clearing weeds and grasses from around homes and outbuildings, having metal roofs reduces the circumference of the cleared area to 50 feet, 100 feet for burnable roof material, also we have to cut all lower branches from trees to avoid fires from getting into those branches, firewood not to be stored under decks or next to sides of homes. I have talked to firemen during the forest fire we had in 2013 and they told me that our place was defendable because of the work I had done. Still, I feel we were very fortunate to have missed the bullet, I attribute that to all the great firefighters we had in the area, the closest that fire got to one home was to bubble the paint at the back of the home, the firefighters kept that home from catching fire and no homes in the area were lost. The closest the fire got to our property was about 400 feet.


----------



## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

wildfires has been a concern to me ever since i moved in where i live now...more so then ever since 2011,when we had a bad drought and wildfires showing up in many diff places.in which one small fire was within 1/2 mile from me.we have hay feilds pastures and wooded areas all around me.and the house i live in,is from the 1930's..so im up a creek if a fire got to close,be it the fire it self.or the ambers landing to close to the house.to landing on it...


----------

