Beyond the Flames — ‘Fire Weather Creates Nightmare for Firefighters’

If you’re a frequent viewer of the weather channel, or any national news program, you’ve probably seen the massive fires taking place in the western United States, you’ve probably seen a message featuring “red flag warning” or “fire weather warning.” And due to the recent rash of dry weather in our area, several are likely to be issued in the near future.
The National Weather Service considers a red flag warning to mean “Critical fire weather conditions are occurring: A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and recent dry weather creates explosive fire growth potential.”
Obviously, dry weather and low humidity create very dry grasses, leaves, trees, and other fuels that combust at the presence of heat. The more dry fuel that is available to a fire, the quicker it will spread.
It also doesn’t take much to understand that the stronger the winds are, the greater the potential for the fire to spread. It takes fuel, heat, and oxygen to create a fire, and heavy winds feed an enormous amount of fresh oxygen on the flames.
The National Weather Service periodically issues a “Fire Danger Rating” for areas throughout the country. Many are familiar with the signs often seen at local parks and fire departments featuring Smokey the Bear with one of five warning levels: Low, Moderate, High, Very High, or Extreme.
In “Low” conditions, the possibility of fire spread is very minimal, with fires traveling no further than situations such as the campfire they are intended for. “Moderate” fire levels allow for slow spreading of flames. “High” levels are the beginning of the real threat of fire spread through dry fuels.
“Very High” levels produce conditions in which a match or burning ember can start a fire that will grow rapidly and spread at a fast pace. “Extreme,” the most drastic level, creates conditions in which an ignition source as small as a discarded cigarette can ignite a massive fire that has the potential to burn hundreds of acres.
Fire weather creates a nightmare for firefighters faced with battling the flames during such events. What would normally be a small grass fire contained to a minor area could quickly evolve into a massive woods fire, engulfing large areas of fuel in its path, without being quickly extinguished.
Dozens of fires normally break out across New Jersey each season, making for a busy schedule for the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service (NJFFS). The NJFFS is responsible for the control, prevention, and extinguishment of wildfires in New Jersey, with over 1,800 part-time wildland firefighters who respond to approximately 1,500 fires per year.
The service’s website lists “the common occurrences of high winds, warmer temperatures, low relative humidity, and bountiful wild land fuels in New Jersey to create the perfect conditions for the ignition and spread of large wildfires.”
But “fire weather” isn’t just limited to wildfires. Structural firefighting efforts can also be hampered by strong winds, allowing the fire to spread and grow at a much more rapid pace than under normal circumstances.
Simple precautions should be taken during fire weather warnings. Be sure to safely discard any cigarettes or other ignition source. Do not leave any fire unattended, whether it be a woodstove, outdoor chimney, or other fire source.
Remember, it only takes one spark to ignite a potentially devastating fire. Take the red flag warnings seriously.
Knoll, 20, of Eldora, can be contacted by email at bknolljr4cmcherald@yahoo.com.