Surviving Forest Fires

I have heard of stories of how people survived forest fires but there are inevitable casualties which I believe are no the higher side. I have learnt that this is a clear and present danger during the hot season when the ground is parched and the vegetation is dry. The best intervention is to look for an empty space like a field and bid your time there until the storm ebbs. Its prudent to carry a cutting tool to clear vegetation well in advance since running away from a ravaging forest inferno might prove to be an exercise in futility.

 

Get a head of it and burn off in front of you so there's no fuel to burn look at fire as a pyramid
1. Fuel
2. Oxygen
3. Heat

Take a away one and you don't have a fire or use a fire shelter but that's a last resort.

 

Actually the fires usually burn on a shallow front, it may go km either side but 10-20m behind the fire is usually just ash with just a little residual heat and smoke!

It takes good judgement but a small clearing can be run to as the fire burns past or even driven to if on a road!
Cover yourself as best possible with clothes, cotton or wool! soak in water if you can then time it right and run through to the clearing just as the fire clears it!
At 12yo I survived that way with the help of a stranger who knew what to do! as at 12yo I had no idea!
Find clearing then at the last minute run through to the burnt side! shielding yourself as best as you can , wool water!
It should take only a few seconds to run through, scared the bejesus out of me at 12yo I can tell you.

 

It is best to get out of the area as soon as it appears to be a threat. If you are actually trapped in a forest fire I think there is little you can do. Even professional firefighters sometimes lose their lives in forest fires, case in point the brave firefighters that perished if Arizona 4 years ago.

 

I'm just looking at myself while camping in the forest and it gets on fire, OMG! and this brings me back to the safety tools to never forget when you go camping in forest plus things to do when you get in the forest, whenever you prepare to go in the forest remember the flash light, maps and compass these are the things that would help you to not get lost as for fire don't forget water if you don't have same with you put your tent near water and don't forget to check the weather these are my safety tips but for me if this happens the first thing i would think of would be to run and find my way out of the forest this might sound unwise if all of the forest is on fire but yeah that's what I would do plus we get to know what we would really do when we're in the situation.

 

Well, prevention is always the key. Put out campfires when taking off, make sure you do research on the area you are thinking of going to; the air humidity, the rate of occurrence for forest fires yearly, contact information on the firewatch as well as the nearest range or station, etc. I don't go to vacation or anywhere outside my routine without doing any research on the locale, area, crime rate, and I'll also have to create a list of things you would need in case you either get lost or you need extraction in the middle of the woods.

 

Forest fires seem to catch a lot of people by surprise these days. Even though they seem to be plastered on the news quite often, a lot of people believe that they won't personally run into a fire their selves and they don't prepare for the situation. I think that your tip could help a lot of people out if they bothered to read up on forest fires and what to do if they run into them. Thanks for the post, Remnant.

 

This is one of the best articles I have seen on this topic:

How to Survive Fires and Wildfires like a Firefighter

https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/how-to-survive-fires-and-wildfires/


.

 

Good morning Grizz,

Agree, one of the best article on subject. Author Tara Dodrell knows the material.

Important and usually (+ typically) neglected: "grid only operating ... only as long as work force ... shows up" to maintain it. Will the roads be open ? Not here !

Recommend all preppers phase out candles.

Important: Preppers work the fire prevention portfolio. Your neighbor does not. This parallels infectious diseases spreading.

Appreciate author's mention of Appalachia.

Also: Roadways blocked by crashed vehicles. This area has an abundance of Mario Andretti wantabees.



Tara's "old tin roofing" reminded me of "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof".

Ref: "Top 10 ways ..." ; "8" Recommend professional contractor guidance and assistance re lightning rods.

Non fire-fighters can get SCBA and the fill-ups. Just bring $$$.

I always carry in truck a fire fighters' pike pole. It is multi-purpose and excellent for evacuations.

Speaking of "bullet proof", newer PPE - Personal Protection Equipment - being introduced incorporates ballestic protection also. Is something going on in our society ?

The long letter accompanying article has a mention of - NIMS -. Neglected to mention was the always accompanying NRF. Advanced-level prep requires the basic knowledge of NIMS-NRF.

Again, a real good article. It was well worth reading.

Now, who was in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" ?

 

Distance is the best defense from this and many other threats.

 

Well Pragmatist, how far back do you want to go? Most people would remember Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie and Paul Newman as Brick circa 1958 movie. The play was written a few years earlier (1955). The original Broadway version starred Barbara Bel Geddes as Maggie and Ben Gazarra as Brick. Burl Ives played Big Daddy in both the play and the movie. Elia Kazan directed the play and Richard Brooks directed the movie. Let's drop another name from the past. When Ben Gazarra left the original cast of the play, he was replaced by Jack Lord. Bookem Dano.

 

Good afternoon Morgan,

The further back, the better the quality and the personality - at least as to what was presented to the public.

Eliz Taylor had been married to US Senator from Virginia John Warner (not the current US Senator with same last name obviously). I'm getting forgetful. Wasn't Burl Ives the chief of state of Egypt in some movie ?

Appreciate invoking fond memories.

Foot Note; Re my above fire fighter article rambling;, re Virginia; Had omitted something I consider important. Non-firefighters can get SCBA oxygen. For medical oxygen, it requires a prescription. Usually arrangements are in place for members of the Fire Service to have access to medical O2.

 

Good afternoon TMT Tactical,

Excellent question.

I was recently involved in a "heavy" discussion on this matter. My discussion was multi jurisdiction and heavy enough it's something I just can't place on the web.

Our emergency planning overall community could use some help from the prepper community. Must stop now.