Wildfires!

​

   Wildfires are a part of nature. They are

key to renewal of ecosystem resources.

But, they are also deadly. Fires destroy

homes, wildlife habitats and forests and

cause injuries and death.

​

   In 2021, 6 million acres of land in the

U.S. were affected by wildfires. (National Interagency Fire Center)

     

   Almost 85% of wildfires in the U.S. are started by humans. (U.S. Forest Service Research Data) Wildfires are often difficult to control and can burn millions of acres of forests. They spread to residential areas, force evacuations of thousands of families, and destroy homes.

  

   Natural causes, such as lightning,

only account for 15% of wildfires, but

can also cause property destruction,

injuries and illnesses. Average U.S.

acreage burned each year has tripled

in the last three decades. (National

Interagency Coordination Center)

​

Image: By Our World In Data - https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/acres-burned-usa, CC BY 3.0

 

Learning Objectives

• Describe the effects of wildfires.

• Explain natural causes of wildfires.

• List and explain human causes of wildfires.

 

Vocabulary

arson— a criminal act of deliberately setting a fire.

​

cold lightning—lightning that has an intense electrical current, but is short-lasting.

 

hot lightning—lightning that has less voltage, but lasts longer; fires are usually started by longer-lasting hot lightning.

​

leader—the first feeler of lightning sent out from a cloud.

 

stroke—the return streak of lightning that is seen in the sky.

 

wildfire—an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland, or prairie.

 

Natural Causes of Wildfires

   Fire experts describe lightning as having two parts: leaders and strokes. The leader is the first feeler sent out from a cloud. The strokes are the return streaks of light that you see in the sky.

​

   The leaders and strokes produce cold lightning and hot lightning. Cold lightning is a return stroke. It has an intense electrical current, but doesn’t last long. Hot lightning has less current (voltage) but can last longer. Fires are usually started by longer-lasting hot lightning.

  

   If a wildfire occurs in a populated area, every effort is made to put the fire out. If it occurs in a remote area, such as a forest or grassland, the fire may be allowed to burn its course. This can have certain benefits to the ecosystem.

​

Human-Caused Wildfires

   Wildfire investigators need to understand the

causes of fires so they can be better prepared

to prevent or fight them. Knowing how the fire

started can help control the fire and prevent

property damage and injuries.

  

   Nationally, human activity has caused 85% of wildfires over a 10-year average.

​

   All human-caused fires are preventable if proper care and attention is taken to prevent that ignition spark.

 

Human-caused fires include those fires set by:

 

                                                    ►Arson—a criminal act of                                                                        deliberately setting a fire. Arson is a                                                          felony and is punishable by                                                                      imprisonment of one year or more                                                            and/or a fine. Someone who is guilty                                                        of arson may be responsible for all                                                            costs of fighting the fire and all costs of rehabilitating the land and damages caused by the fire.

​

►Debris and open burning—People often burn yard debris, trash, and personal items. They also use fire to clear land, for pest control, or for hazard reduction.  These fires often get out of control.

​

   These fires can be prevented by carefully monitoring the fire at all times, having the equipment on hand to control the fire, clearing the area around the fire of all flammable material and by knowing the weather conditions that could lead to fire spread. No burning should be done in windy weather conditions. Communities may have specific rules and permits that control burning.

​

►Equipment and vehicle use—Fires can occur from mechanical problems with equipment or vehicles such as passenger vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, bulldozers, welders, grinders, wind generators, or chain saws.

​

   Improper maintenance of the equipment is usually the cause of the fire. Proper use and maintenance can prevent these types of wildfires.

Firearms and explosive use—Any firearm or explosive is a potential source of a fire.  Most explosives are prohibited during times of high fire risk. Risks can be controlled by having the proper equipment such as a shovel and water or fire extinguishers on hand if a fire starts. Firearm targets should be on dirt or gravel and away from grass or other vegetation.

 

►Fireworks—Fireworks cause major

property damage every year. They burn at

high temperatures. Even sparklers burn at

1200 degrees Fahrenheit (F). All fireworks

are fire risks.

   They are also a major risk for injuries. Many people are injured each year in unsafe fireworks use and accidents.

​

   Fireworks are illegal on all federal and state public lands during high fire danger.

 

►Misuse of fire by a minor—Fires caused by minors 17 years of age and younger are usually caused by curiosity about what causes fires and what materials will burn. They look for what they think will burn and then try various ways of igniting them.

​

   Children should learn good fire safety. They should know that matches and lighters are not toys and fires are dangerous.

 

►Power generation/transmission—The most common cause of a power generation wildfire is the generation and transmission of electrical power.

​

   Fires caused by power lines are often due to high winds and contact with vegetation. Other causes include equipment failure and human or animal contact with a power line.

 

►Recreation—This category of fire causes includes campfires that are not properly made and unattended, barbeque equipment, bonfires, and gas cookers and lighting equipment. Outdoor furnaces, ovens and fireplaces have also caused fires.

 

A Special note on campfires

Campfires can cause major fires in several ways, including:

• Failure to extinguish properly

• Not attending the fire

• Improper clearance

• Careless placement

• Improper discarding of coals and ash and matches

• Improper use of accelerants

• Camp stove malfunction

      

   Campfires can be made safely by following a few safety rules. Check with local officials  to find out if there are any fire restrictions in your area. Always clear away vegetation from the campfire area. Never leave your campfire unattended.  Have ways to extinguish the fire on hand, including a shovel, water, or fire extinguisher.

​

►Smoking

   Smoking from discarded unextinguished cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and electronic cigarettes and from careless disposal of matches occur each year.

​

   Always check for restrictions on smoking during high fire warnings and always dispose of smoking materials carefully.

 

Health Effects of Wildfires

   Wildfires not only affect the health of those people who are close to the fire, but can affect the health of those people many miles away.

  

   Wildfires increase air pollution. The effects of smoke from wildfires cause eye and respiratory illnesses, including bronchitis, asthma attacks, heart failure, and premature death. Children, pregnant women and the elderly are particularly affected by wildfire smoke.

    

   Fires also cause suffocation, burn injuries, and injuries associated with evacuations and fire-fighting.

​

   Wildfires can disrupt transportation, communications, power and gas services and water supplies. They also cause loss of property, crops and livestock.

​

  The effects of wildfires can be felt thousands of miles from the fire.

 

 

©Wheeling University, 2023. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​