EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

All of us were shocked and saddened by news of an elite crew of firefighters in Arizona who died on July 2 when the wind suddenly changed and they were trapped. It is a reminder of the deadly danger that wildfires pose, and the risk that is taken by both homeowners and those battling the flames.  Virtually every summer, we hear news reports of wildfires in western US or Canada, some of which destroy tens, even hundreds of thousands of acres.   In  “interface” fires, where homes are located among these woodlands, heroic efforts are made to save the structures.  The 19 Hotshot firefighters who perished were battling such a blaze.

Fires are, in one way, simplistic — requiring only oxygen, fuel, and a heat source. Eliminate any of these and there is no fire.  Yet fighting a wildfire is complex, and requires a scientific approach, even for the small ones. Important considerations for attacking a fire are fuel type, quantity, spacing, terrain, aspect, slope, wind, humidity, temperature, etc.  Fires have Rankings 1 – 6, with #1 as smoldering and #6 as an extremely dangerous conflagration.

Enormous resources are thrown at both fire prevention and response. For example, here in British Columbia, Canada, the BC Wildfire Management Branch employs over 1,100 Type 1 Crews which are highly trained to fight Rank 3+ fires. The effort consists of Initial Attack Crews (3-person first responders) that may also include Parattack (smokejumpers) and Rapattack (rappelling from helicopters); Type 1 Unit Crews (20-person walk-in teams); Type 2 Contract Crews who are trained and hired to fight Rank 1-2 fires on an as-need basis; and Type 3 Emergency Firefighters (i.e. municipal) that can provide support services and mop-up operations.

I have worked at an Emergency Ops Center in response to wildfires in the BC Interior and have witnessed Forest Service officials agonizing over where to place scarce human resources among several simultaneous fires. Some fires in isolated locations simply are allowed to burn. The priority is to save homes. I ponder if homeowners should not take some of this risk, since they chose to build or buy in a lovely forested setting – that could be swallowed up in a wildfire. Insurance can transfer this risk, but seldom will replace the value of the home. Should homeowners assume some risk?

Yes. We can and should reduce wildfire risk to our homes. If you live or vacation where there is an abundance of forest and other vegetation, here are a few measures:  Lessen the wildfire hazard by creating a 100 foot safety zone around your property — remove flammable debris and limbs, landscape with fire-retardant tree and bush varieties, cut the grass regularly, and store firewood outside this zone. If you are building or remodeling, consider fire-retardant construction materials for your roof and exterior walls. Have fire tools at the ready — ax, rake, shovel, buckets, long water hose, chain saw, etc. Be keen for instructions from local or provincial authorities when a wildfire has erupted in your area.  In general, use  a  measure of common sense. Step back and envision a wildfire entering your property, and try to mitigate its impact.

There is no home in North America worth the life of  one of the 19 men who died last month in Arizona. As a tribute to those brave souls, let us do our part to reduce the risk of fire in our communities and homes, regardless of where we live.

Thanks for reading.

Monty