There have been so many areas in our country that have been experiencing wildfires that have threatened businesses and homes. Southern California, Northern California, Wyoming, Florida, and others have not been spared from dealing with this dangerous and destructive force. Although occasionally these horrible fires are set by crazy arsonists, they are normally a natural event caused by droughts and wind.
The response to wildfires in any area of our country has one similarity with water flooding because so many people must evacuate their homes when the fires remain uncontrolled and near their homes. Many times these people will only be given a few hours or less to gather what they can and get out to a place of safety the same as with a natural disaster flooding event.
Lightening strikes will cause some wildfires and sometimes they will just ignite because of very dry and brittle brush when temperatures soar. Sometimes humans will inadvertently cause the fires to start by throwing out a cigarette or burning brush. Accidental this might be, but it turns deadly none the less. Once a wildfire has begun it will destroy everything in its path as long as there is fuel to continue feeding the flames. When wilderness or unoccupied areas of land becomes overgrown with ample amounts of brush and dead tree debris, it provides the perfect fodder to keep a wildfire going for days or even weeks.
As hard as the local firefighters try to battle these runaway blazes, sometimes there is simply not very much that can be done. It is usually impossible to get fire trucks and other equipment in to where the fires are. Another method they must use is flying overhead and dropping water or fire retardant chemicals directly on the fires or near them to help prevent further spreading. These planes and pilots that use these fire bombers put themselves in danger just as the fire fighters on the ground do.
When water can be gotten to the homes that endangered, firefighters do their best to wet down the area around them, but this does not guarantee that the homes are out of jeopardy. Many homes end up burning to the ground anyway with little anyone can really do to stop it. Sometimes families will have nothing to go back home to after the fires have finally been extinguished or naturally play themselves out.
We think that wildfires are a horrible thing and they are, but it is really just a natural occurrence that clears debris and eventually renews life to overgrown areas. The only thing that can be done is when tracts of land are cleared of the natural debris that feeds the fires. Homeowners can protect their property a little by keeping brush and debris cleared off of their property too, but even that is no guarantee that their homes will be saved when a wildfire gets too close.
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