Forest Fire Survival Tips
June 18th, 2009Advises, Tips & Tricks, Camping & Hiking
Everybody knows that forest fires are dangerous, but not a lot of people know how it is difficult to survive if you are trapped. A forest fire can wreak an incredible amount of devastation in a few hours.
Every year forest fires burn thousands of acres, wildfires can easily jump streams and roads, and it can travel faster than you can run. Don’t make the most common mistake when you are trying to escape a wildland fire, don’t try to outrun it.
Knowledge Of The Terrain
A good knowledge of the terrain you are in gives you the best opportunity of surviving a forest fire.
One of the first things to learn is that a forest fire travels uphill much more quickly than it travels downhill. Therefore, you might be able to keep in advance of the fire by moving downhill as quickly as you can.
Evergreen trees (conifers and and other trees with needles) catch fire more quickly than deciduous trees. Therefore choose an escape route through a deciduous thicket of trees, if any options even exist.
Avoid areas of dead, dry vegetation, which can explode into flames as the forest fire progresses.
Warnings Of Fire
Extra time can mean the difference between life and death, that is why, it’s a good idea to be aware of the signs of fire approaching.
This is likely to begin by you having a vague sense of smelling smoke. A sure sign that fire is approaching is if you see fine particles of ash.
Look up into the sky and see if you can spot any hazy areas which don’t seem in keeping with the rest of the sky. If the smell of smoke and the ash thickens becomes more pungent, then the approach of fire is imminent.
If You Are Trapped
If you’re completely trapped and the forest fire is in such close proximity that an immediate escape is not possible, you should try to find or even dig a ditch into which you should climb and keep yourself as low down as possible.
Your best chances of surviving a forest fire will be in the middle of an area with little burnable vegetation. Any roads, streams, lakes, ponds, plowed fields, and bare rocky terrain will help you to save your life. In addition, you are more likely to be seen and rescued if you are in the area without vegetation.
If you are lucky to found any water, position yourself so as to cover as much of your body as possible beneath the surface and move as far away from the forest fire as possible.
To protect your body from the hot air cover yourself with a coat or blanket, preferably wet. Try to cover all exposed areas of skin including your face and hands. Curl yourself up into a ball. By making sure you’re low down and covered up, this will give you the best chance of minimizing the effects of smoke and the suffocating heat.
Sphere: Related Content2 Responses to “Forest Fire Survival Tips”
Would you like to comment "Forest Fire Survival Tips"?
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Pretty cool post. I just came by your blog and wanted to say
that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your posts. In any case
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you write again soon!
July 28th, 2009 at 11:37 am
i enjoy reading your blog and when it is on camping and hiking i really enjoy it a lot