Wildfire Protection

[CompactTractorFan]

CompactTractorFan,

Size is also a regional thing. Usually departments will buy what works for there area as in size, manuverability and cost. The most around here seem to be 3500 down to 1850. When I volunteered in PA it was dealers choice on what was around. I seen everything from old septic trucks converted to the newest fanciest and biggest available. I have not seen to many tractor trailer jobs and would like to work with one a time or two. The problem with getting over 3500 gal. and tractor trailers is there is a lot more time involved in training people to drive. Thus equalling fewer drivers.

Yeah, most around here are around 2,000-3,000 gallon...

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

We have had 3 fires out here in the last 2 months. Oddly 2 in the same place, they thought 2 days ago they were going to evacuate us. They did people further down the road.

I had the motorhome ready and the toad hooked up. I've been thinking about it. I grabbed some important papers and a few clothes and banking information plus meds. Was going to get DD, the dog, and cat and go. The chickens are on their own. Pity the back neighbor with almost 20 horses.

But what I'm getting ready to do is turn the motorhome around so its headed out, its fueled up. I may go ahead and hook the toad back up. Sometimes I can do it quick, sometimes it takes me awhile to get it lined up. I've got my cart by the back door and I'm pulling the important papers, God help us if we lost some of that stuff and put them in the bays until we get some decent rain. As hubby says be careful there are only 2 roads out of here both parallel and he said back here a fire could skip and cut off both and east of us is the river bottoms full of trees.

Long as I get out with my credit card, some cash and my bank stuff plus the CPU from this computer I can make it. It sure gave me pause the other day when I thought I needed to leave. The cops were back here by the house.

It's not near us yet and would have to cover a lot of territory to do so but there is a big burn at Magnolia, I hear 10 miles long by 3 miles wide, no school over there and evacuations. It's 15 or so miles away from us I guess. My understanding is its still not under control. I would find it hard to believe that could ever get to us.

We had a big mulch fire about a half mile behind us a month or so ago. They had to bring in dozers and all to contain it. It was mountains of mulch they were grinding to sell, I saw it burned there equipment, that thing burned for over a month.

It sure is a time to be careful and if you smell smoke like I often do find out where its coming from.

Oh and we have all metal roofs and a brick house. I will take the advice though and clean the leaves off the back eave, that's the only place there are any.

 

[Phils]

Oh and we have all metal roofs and a brick house. I will take the advice though and clean the leaves off the back eave, that's the only place there are any.

You've looked and there aren't little screens venting your attic space in the eves?

I've personally seen what would've been thought to be "flame resistant" homes burned to the ground only because 'nobody thought about the soffit vents'.

Yeah, I know.... almost a double post. But if Patriotic Stabilist can affirm there isn't an easy way for embers to be blown into the attic space, it's worth it.

Phil

 

[Lady Tonka]

After viewing the stunning and heartbreaking aerial photos of the hundreds of burned-out homes from Colorado's Waldo Canyon fire, I was struck by how many didn't seem to have any "defensible space" around their dwellings. Won't the insurance companies covering these burned-out policyholders refuse to pay out for the damages, or isn't defensible space mandated? I'm curious because I don't know anything about the issue.

Larry, your information taught me some things that are good to know, even here in the rain-soaked PNW. I didn't see this link posted and wanted to add it to your thread for additional insights on perhaps avoiding the horrible fate so many in Colorado Springs are now suffering:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9l12T4WhRVKWmZxSTFGZkwtY3M/edit?pli=1

 

[ttriff]

After viewing the stunning and heartbreaking aerial photos of the hundreds of burned-out homes from Colorado's Waldo Canyon fire, I was struck by how many didn't seem to have any "defensible space" around their dwellings.

One of the more interesting things to come out of an analysis of the Waldo Canyon fire storm .

The 65 mph winds generated temps of 1300-1500 degrees in front of the flames. Those temps caused the flammable materials inside the houses to burn despite the outside of the houses being 'fireproofed'. This meant the houses burned from the inside out. Having more or less defensible space, or things like a brick exterior didn't matter in this situation.

We have people staying at our property because their home is in the mandatory evacuation area for the Waldo Canyon fire

 

[Larry Caldwell]

One of the more interesting things to come out of an analysis of the Waldo Canyon fire storm .

The 65 mph winds generated temps of 1300-1500 degrees in front of the flames. Those temps caused the flammable materials inside the houses to burn despite the outside of the houses being 'fireproofed'. This meant the houses burned from the inside out. Having more or less defensible space, or things like a brick exterior didn't matter in this situation.

We have people staying at our property because their home is in the mandatory evacuation area for the Waldo Canyon fire

Yeah. With a high wind and a big fuel load, nothing is going to help. Or, as I mentioned when I started this thread:

6 - Plan your escape. Leave it to the fire department to save your house. Nothing stands in front of a wind driven wildfire. Sometimes the best thing you can do is run.

 

[Lava Rancher]

After the Cedar fire in '03 I have a healthy respect for wind driven fire. I found a benz melted into the pavement and the closest fuel for the fire other than the vehicle was nearly 100 feet. I was burnt over manning a road block. The fire closed on me by covering a mile and jumping a divided freeway in not much more than 60 seconds. If there is a wind driven fire within 5 miles of here in a direction where it could turn towards us, I'm leaving. Family, dog, and a few pictures and a computer. Everything else can burn. I don't have 100 feet with no fuel. I'm in a juniper forest, once it crowns it is all over, 100 feet won't make a difference. I'd lock my gate on the way out. No one should get trapped at my place trying to save it.

 

[Lady Tonka]

Thanks for the comments about wind-driven fires jumping what I thought was truly "defensible" space around a dwelling. So you're saying the kind of fire mitigation techniques illustrated in this picture won't work?

 

[weedpharma]

Defensible space is good for a low intensity fire but not for a wildfire in mid summer with a howling wind behind it. It is worthwhile as a basic defence....with lots of hoping in a bigger fire.

WeedPharma

 

[FredH]

Yeah, it is a east/west coast thing...

I Thought it was Left or Right Coast :thumbsup:

Fred H.