Retired Fire Chief participating in bicycling, running, sprint triathlons, duathlons to honor firefighters. My adventures are self-funded. People ask "Can we donate?" The answer is yes. You can donate to the Search Dog Foundation and/or the Lung Cancer Alliance.
A
wildfires (AKA forest or peat fires) are uncontrolled fires. Often
wildfires occur in wild, unpopulated areas, but they can occur anywhere
and destroy homes, agriculture, humans, and animals in their path.
Firefighters
refer to these disasters as surface fires, dependent crown fires,
running crown fires, spot fires, and ground fires.
“Running
crown fires” are a firefighter’s worst nightmare because they burn
extremely hot, travel rapidly, and can change direction quickly.
The
most dangerous aspect of running crown fires are the convection
currents which produce massive fire storms and tornadoes. These
subsequent storms can send embers well ahead of the main fire front,
causing spot fires that in turn can start new fires in other directions.
Weather
conditions can directly contribute to the occurrence of wildfires
through lightning strikes or indirectly by an extended dry spell or
drought.
Wildfires can be caused by an accumulation of dead
matter (leaves, twigs, and trees) that can create enough heat in some
instances to spontaneously combust and ignite the surrounding area.
Lightning strikes the earth over 100,000 times a day. 10 to 20 percent of these lightning strikes can cause fire.
The
number one reason for wildfires in the U.S. is mankind. Man-made
combustions from arson, human carelessness, or lack of fire safety cause
wildfire disasters every year.
More than 80 percent of all wildfires are started by humans.
An average of 1.2 million acres of U.S. woodland burn every year.
A large wildfire — or conflagration — is capable of modifying the local weather conditions (AKA producing it’s own weather).
A
wildfires (AKA forest or peat fires) are uncontrolled fires. Often
wildfires occur in wild, unpopulated areas, but they can occur anywhere
and destroy homes, agriculture, humans, and animals in their path.
Firefighters
refer to these disasters as surface fires, dependent crown fires,
running crown fires, spot fires, and ground fires.
“Running
crown fires” are a firefighter’s worst nightmare because they burn
extremely hot, travel rapidly, and can change direction quickly.
The
most dangerous aspect of running crown fires are the convection
currents which produce massive fire storms and tornadoes. These
subsequent storms can send embers well ahead of the main fire front,
causing spot fires that in turn can start new fires in other directions.
Weather
conditions can directly contribute to the occurrence of wildfires
through lightning strikes or indirectly by an extended dry spell or
drought.
Wildfires can be caused by an accumulation of dead
matter (leaves, twigs, and trees) that can create enough heat in some
instances to spontaneously combust and ignite the surrounding area.
Lightning strikes the earth over 100,000 times a day. 10 to 20 percent of these lightning strikes can cause fire.
The
number one reason for wildfires in the U.S. is mankind. Man-made
combustions from arson, human carelessness, or lack of fire safety cause
wildfire disasters every year.
More than 80 percent of all wildfires are started by humans.
An average of 1.2 million acres of U.S. woodland burn every year.
A large wildfire — or conflagration — is capable of modifying the local weather conditions (AKA producing it’s own weather).
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