# Wildfire Survival????????????



## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

While more and more humans are crowding the countryside, building in no man`s land, many are still wondering how to survive in the middle of an inferno, I wonder why and how too.

http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine...he-fight-against-wildfires-gets-real-20140723


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

The article is wrong. It's not about climate change. It's about years of environmentalists anti logging crap, anti fire crap, anti salvage crap that causes years of debris buildup and insect damage that's allowed to stay "natural". It creates huge fuel buildups that once started are hard to stop. As usual we are our own worst enemy. Multiple, small, frequent managed fires are far better than one huge wildfire. Some people moving to the boondocks are so in love with hugging trees, they won't cut firebreaks and plant green zones around their homes. They want to be nestled right in the woods. Then they want to blend in and build fancy wood homes instead of stucco and tile roofs


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

That's one of the most BS articles on wildfire I've ever seen.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

As hardcider and MMM have already stated the "greenies" don't ever look at the big picture, a forest on an untouched island can be left to nature, but when there has been human intervention and nature has been messed up it still needs some level of intervention to function.
People need to look at history and learn a bit instead of jumping on any pretty band wagon that comes along :lalala: , have a look at what the planet saving EPA just did in Colorado. just cause the snake is smiling doesn't mean it isn't a viper, :eyebulge:


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

HardCider said:


> The article is wrong. It's not about climate change. It's about years of environmentalists anti logging crap, anti fire crap, anti salvage crap that causes years of debris buildup and insect damage that's allowed to stay "natural". It creates huge fuel buildups that once started are hard to stop. As usual we are our own worst enemy. Multiple, small, frequent managed fires are far better than one huge wildfire. Some people moving to the boondocks are so in love with hugging trees, they won't cut firebreaks and plant green zones around their homes. They want to be nestled right in the woods. Then they want to blend in and build fancy wood homes instead of stucco and tile roofs


Right here in S.W. Oregon there is a fire going on in an area that's part of the Biscuit Fire complex that happened a few years back, salvage logging was not allowed and trees became nurseries to bugs and fuel for the present fire. California has it's problem with dead brush building up in the draws in the mountains and when that stuff starts burning it's like a rocket launch. The fire we had in our area in 2013 in many ways was a blessing, it opened up a lot of under brush that really needed to be cleared out, many areas were so thick wildlife couldn't get trough and now with all the tender growth that's coming in, deer and elk will have much more feeding areas.


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## Gians (Nov 8, 2012)

Logging won't stop forest fires, unless of course there's no trees left to burn. There's a record drought going on, the reason can be argued from now until eternity and still won't help. Fire can be beneficial to the environment, there are plants and trees dependent on fire. The only problem is there's more building going on from more people in more remote locations. Some want the pretty trees and brush right up to their homes, then scream for firefighters to risk their lives to save their home...and the rest of us pay for it.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

So the bottom line is that we, the human race, is basically screwing up everything
http://www.smokeybear.com/it-could-be-you.asp


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

The last time I heard a number, about a month ago, it was over 400 wild land fires in Alaska this year. I know that one of them was caused by the careless handling of burning brush by a couple clearing their site for a new home. I expect a few other fires were man made but the vast majority were from lightning strikes and such.

I grew up in the middle of a forest. I don't know of any fires in a logged off area except for the rare one that was caused while the logging was in progress. The loggers are particularly careful about fire. The trees are quite valuable so burning up the inventory is rather bad business. I do know that the hunters love the logged off areas because the deer love the logged off areas. 

People build their homes out of wood as it is cheap, initially. If people built their homes with metal roofs, and stone or another noncombustible exterior, and have over a hundred feet radius of clear ground around the home, far fewer homes would burn.

When firefighters arrive at your home they make a quick evaluation. If they think they can defend your home they do so otherwise the go on to the next place until they come to a place where they can make a fire break. Have a defendable home. 

One picture in the article showed a burned out grass or brushy area where the fire was stopped by a stone fence. My guess is that the fence was put in place for just that reason. I really don't agree with a lot of the authors thought process but the article is a great way to get the discussion rolling, thanks for posting it.


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## Gians (Nov 8, 2012)

readytogo said:


> So the bottom line is that we, the human race, is basically screwing up everything
> http://www.smokeybear.com/it-could-be-you.asp


But not all the time, mother nature can really F things up herself, at least as far as we're concerned. The USA is the largest exporter of wood in the world, we definitely need to be more careful.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Fire proof and fire resistant living*

I have often thought about wild fires and how when there is a major breakdown in society, fires would be one of the potential threats to those already struggling. Of course there are other potential threats.

I have always had a great love of log cabins, but they would burn as fast as anything. When there was a fire in Colorado a few years ago, many homes burned, with the exception of a couple. One man built his home to be fireproof. Another man was set with a system to release a fire proof foam just when it was needed to prevent his home from burning.

No matter what or who is responsible, preparing ourselves is the best thing I know to do.

I spent some time at a cabin this summer that had lots of growth close around it and lots of downed timber that needs to be cleaned up.

I am sure there are many homes in America where there has not been good planning or preparing against fires.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

*we just pass the blame to others*

Stopping the destructive power of a fire is not very easy especially a forest fire, an average surface fire on the forest floor might have flames reaching 1 meter in height and can reach temperatures of 800°C (1,472°F) or more. Under extreme conditions a fire can give off 10,000 kilowatts or more per meter of fire front so is a force to reckon with, with that been said not too many manmade structures, affordable to the regular homeowner, can withstand that type of destructive power and living in the woods or city will make no difference once a fire sets and yes the chances are more living in a wooded area that the damage will spread and create more damage but that facts are there to see and blame it on the government or the EPA or the idiot riding his trail dirt bike is not going to stop them from occurring every year. Are we all going to move away from a specific area just because is prone to natural disasters, take tornado alley or hurricane prone coastal areas, haven't you notice that in tornado alley the home construction haven't change any, yellow pine wood and Particleboard put together with air staples or nails, no bunkers or dome type of structures .The facts are that we humans are set on our ways and history have shown that we just love to repeat the same mistakes and pass the blame to whatever is there.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Gians said:


> Logging won't stop forest fires, unless of course there's no trees left to burn. There's a record drought going on, the reason can be argued from now until eternity and still won't help. Fire can be beneficial to the environment, there are plants and trees dependent on fire. The only problem is there's more building going on from more people in more remote locations. Some want the pretty trees and brush right up to their homes, then scream for firefighters to risk their lives to save their home...and the rest of us pay for it.


Logging won't stop all fires but it reduces the damage to the environment and provides road access to the fires. Environmentalist have done far more damage to our forests than loggers .


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

A few years back, before the fire of 2013, our counties forest protection agency sent information to all rural residents about how to have a defensible fire zone around our homes in order to avoid having to pay for fire fighting due to our properties creating a path for fires to travel. First off was to have a defensible zone around our homes, no trees, shrubs, trash or firewood up against the home and all weed cleared withing a 100 foot diameter from homes without metal roofs, 50 feet for homes with metal roofs and I might add that there is one thing people often forget, cleaning out the rain gutters, I had a friend tell me that embers from the fire, that didn't get that close to his home, got leaves and fir needles smoldering in his gutters. Also it was recommended that all lower branches be trimmed from larger trees on the property so that if the grasses or weeds burned they wouldn't catch the trees on fire. When some of the fire fighters that came with Sheriffs Search and Rescue to warn us to leave, I asked the firemen if they felt that our property was defensible and they replied that it was. Thing is, we've always realized the fire dangers involved in living where we do and I always strive to mow and weed wack before the fire season starts.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

Everybody loves the woods and nature I think that is beautiful but living right next to Mother Nature requires care and work and the knowledge that weather changes and we need the rain, any type of structure will burn and if surrounded by wood will burn even more, many cabins and homes that I have visited and stay in have been totally cover by trees and shrubbery, owners claiming that it was meant to be, well no need to say anymore, maybe this will help.
http://www.consumerfireproducts.com/foam-gels-and-fire-retardant.html


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...ire - HORIZON 8-24-15 FINAL&utm_term=Firewire

As wildfires blaze throughout Washington state, one man simply sat in his living room safe and sound as flames reaching up to 20 feet surrounded his home.

That's because John Belles built his house, a concrete dome, specifically to withstand anything and everything nature could throw his way in Okanogan County.

According to KPTV-TV, the house hadn't yet been tested by wildfire. But after the flames passed, the survivalist said there was no damage whatsoever to his home.

"I didn't know how it was going to work out, but I figured I was safe inside the building," Belles said. "It was cool and well-protected with the concrete and everything."

Image source: KXYL-TV
Image source: KXYL-TV
Belles said he didn't have much time before the flames from the wildfire that's now more than 227,000 acres in size were already on his property. The flames were raging about 30 yards away from his property before he decided to take shelter in his home.

He said he knew that moving into the valley would be risky, given the weather and fire risk, and he also knew that police might not always be able to help out right away. He didn't want to have to depend on anyone, so he built the concrete house.

"It's a perfect example of the authorities being spread thin and not being able to take care of everybody," Belles said. "You know, you can't depend on that you have to prepare."

KPTV - FOX 12

The video and pictures didn't want to copy so if you are interested then follow the link.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

Human Predictability.
We humans are animals bend on repetition, actually we are very predictable, and that can be attested by history we are so set on our ways that it can become an addiction to self-destruction, on the present and past natural events we have proven that we love misery and pain. The old stand-by phrase of “I have insurance” is in the lips of many and every year that many complain of the cost and that the government is not doing enough, I guess everybody wants a free ride, the wildfires happening now is a testament to this writing and many here have clearly stated so, why in God`s law would anybody move a family into a forest fire, oh the love for the woods and the seclusion it offers is good enough reason for the many but every year or so mother nature takes control and the crocodile tears fall, the same goes to the many living near the Great Mississippi when that baby runs wild everything goes with it and every year we go right back to its shores just because the bass is big and the cat fish runs wild. So my writing to the many that happen fall in this category is not to complain because eventually the insurance companies will not insured you anymore.


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## neldarez (Apr 10, 2011)

HardCider said:


> The article is wrong. It's not about climate change. It's about years of environmentalists anti logging crap, anti fire crap, anti salvage crap that causes years of debris buildup and insect damage that's allowed to stay "natural". It creates huge fuel buildups that once started are hard to stop. As usual we are our own worst enemy. Multiple, small, frequent managed fires are far better than one huge wildfire. Some people moving to the boondocks are so in love with hugging trees, they won't cut firebreaks and plant green zones around their homes. They want to be nestled right in the woods. Then they want to blend in and build fancy wood homes instead of stucco and tile roofs


The fire that is burning up my home area right now would not have been so horrible had they got tough on cleaning out the diseased trees etc..."They" even want to save some of our dry land pasture as protected because of the grease wood on it...that very same greasewood is what is exploding right now and sending sparks onto other areas. Many of us cut our own firewood every year in this area but there are so many restricted areas that we aren't allowed to cut in...it's all gone...I mean, it's all gone....we have nothing to cut, it was gone in less than a week....we also have firefighters sitting here beside their trucks because they are not suppose to step in...I don't get it....


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

The smoke cloud from those fires in Washington has reached our area, yesterday visibility was less than 1/2 a mile. the authorities that allow themselves to be influenced by small activist groups are certainly not doing the environment any favours.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

To prevent forest fires and to protect the endangered wild life and plants:

Why doesn't the government post, "Fire Free Area"?

Why doesn't the government restrict the size of how many matches a matchbook is allowed?

Why doesn't the government restrict how much liquid a lighter can carry?

Why doesn't the government require background checks before anyone can carry a "flame providing device"?

Why doesn't the government ...

:sarcasm2:


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

When we bought our ranch, we knew nothing about wildfires so we had the Texas Forest Service come out and do a wildfire mitigation plan for us. Then we talked to the fire chief in town and learned a lot from his perspective.

We're fortunate we have metal buildings with metal roofs. We keep about 60' around the buildings mowed. We have firebreaks at the base of the slope behind the house as well as through the middle of it. We have firebreaks all over the place.

We have a small lake on our property so we buried 2" pipe with above-ground spigots about 50' out from the buildings with the ability to provide water ~100' around them. This allows us to water around the buildings (as a part of our fire mitigation plan) and we have several fire hoses that easily attach to the spigots. We keep a water pump down by the lake during summer and fall and can have water flowing within minutes.

We know we don't have the perfect plan because there's only so much you can do. We know we would lose the hay meadow; however, a burn is not a bad thing for it. Depending on circumstances, we would lose pines and hardwoods.

We would not lose the buildings. The weakest part of the plan is what to do with the chicken coop.... hang sheets around it and keep them wet to keep the smoke out???

The one thing we're not depending on is for the fire department or the TFS to respond in case of a fire..... _we_ are the first responders.


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