Wildfires

On August 26, 2009, the largest wildfire Southern California has seen in over 60 years was started. Currently, about 1000 people have helped contain the 160,000 acres of arson fire called Station. With a thick brush, low humidity, and high temperatures, added with the extreme terrain, Station has been difficult fire to control.

Over 12,000 homes, 500 businesses, and 2,000 other structures, are all under threat and have been issued an evacuation. 6 people have stayed behind to risk their lives in order to save their homes from the blaze. While fighting the fire, two firefighters died when their vehicle fell off a steep, 700-foot cliff, trying to escape the fire.

History has shown fire can be a devastating event taken place across the country. In an average year, over 100,000 fires burn 4 million acres of land, most of which, being forest. Daily, a fire can spread 343 miles, or 14 miles an hour, and cost 9 million dollars.

Weather can be at blame for wildfires; with lightening, drought, and even the sun’s heat. But the fact that more than four out of five fires are caused by humans begs to differ. Campfires, playing with matches or fireworks, improperly burning debris, and cigarettes can all trigger a blaze.

Secondary effects of a wildfire are changes in water quality, landslides, erosion, an introduction of an invasive species, and the emission of carbon dioxide. Wildfires are not only harmful to the environment, but to humans also. In 1910, the worst fire in American history took place. The Great Idaho fire burned three million acres of land in Idaho, Washington, and Montana. This single fire caused 85 deaths.

Humans have created many ways to deal with fires. Air tankers drop water or fire retardant on either land being burned, or land in the fire’s path. Hotshots are people that buils a fire break to stop the spread of a fire. A firebreak is a piece of land stripped of any possible fuel for the blaze. Smoke jumpers are firemen who jump out of planes to stop small fires before they become uncontrollable.