About Fire survival

[AngieM2]

Since all the news is about the horrible fires in Texas, I've been thinking on this.

How does one survive a fire if they get surrounded?

Do you have pools that you could jump into, and hope not to boil? going underwater at critical time?

What do the fire fighters do? I remember seeing a Discovery or History channel show about firefighters and some type of reflective tenting to put over them and themselves so when the fire rushes over they might survive with their gear and such.

Is there anyway to survive a fire?

[Bluesgal]

Firefighters use a specially made "coccon" that can withstand very high temperatures. I understand it is not a pleasant experience, they call it "shake & bake" because they have to "shake out" the shelters to be able to get into.

Here's a link to a page where you can buy one.

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr..._fire_shelter/

[Cyngbaeld]

We have rather a shallow pond that we could go sit in with towels that we could wet and cover our heads. Don't know how DD would handle it. Pretty open right around the house and I've tried to keep the fuel load down as much as possible. Pond is about 50 ft out the back door.

[morninglory]

It is my understanding that in a situation where the fire has surrounded you it will become so outrageously hot that you will combust without even a flame touching you.

[ghmerrill]

The problem isn't the fire, it's the lack of oxygen.... A pond or pool isn't going to help unless it's moving extremely fast, such as a grass fire.

[Bearfootfarm]

Many years ago, I remember reading in an outdoor magazine about a couple of people caught in a fire while riding horseback.

They shot the horses and gutted them, then took shelter inside until the fire burned past them.

Makes the little tent thing sound pretty good, but they did survive.

Undergound is the best way

[Bearfootfarm]

towels that we could wet and cover our heads

Dry towels are better insulation because the water transfers the heat faster than air

[Txsteader]

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Dry towels are better insulation because the water transfers the heat faster than air

That is a fact. Try picking up a hot pan out of the oven w/ a damp towel.

[Cyngbaeld]

Now I'm thinking it would be wise to find some way to bury a waterproof container with some supplies. I have stuff divided between house and storage trailer now in case one goes, the other might survive and we'd have clothes and supplies.

[Txrider]

The problem with a fire like the Bastrop fire is superheated air that burns out your lungs in a breath or two or even just too much smoke or lack of oxygen..

If a real hot fire goes by your basically in a heap of trouble.

Maybe a root cellar would do ya, or something of that sort. The cocoon thing would work as well, as your likely just breathing the air that's zipped up in there with ya.

If ya live in a pine forest best bet is to always be ready to scoot out of there.

[TNHermit]

In Colorado we had people survive a fire by filling up their tub. on the other hand we had a bunch FF die in those tents. I would think they have been imported since then. it all depends on how hot the fire is and how fast its moving. If you get surrounded you need to clean as much combustible material from around the house as you can. if you have the chance. fill up your tub.pools or anthing you could get in. if you can get underground do it. forget how the oxygen worked in that case. In the fires close to me in Colorado one house would stand and the ones on both sides burn down. like everything it just weird

[tkrabec]

We have a pool I'm going to use in that situation.
But you need to know what kind of fire it is & how fast it can move in your terrain so you can figure out what to do.

Forest fires can travel up to 6.7 MPH & grass fires up to 14mph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_fire has some great info.

Big fires are something you need to prep in advance & have a plan, then hen the time comes 1-2 hrs (min) before they are expected BUG OUT

[Cyngbaeld]

My neighbor told me that at one point the Bastrop fire was moving at 50 mph. Not sure you could even cover 50 ft ahead of that.

[Molly Mckee]

According to my DD and SIL, who worked for the forest service, they call them "shake and bake" because if you have to shake, you will probably bake. You also have to be very careful where you set them up---not on rocks. My grandfather lived through the 1912 fires in ID-MT in the Lolo pass by going into the river and breathing through a cattail. Didn't think it would work but had no choice.

[Bearfootfarm]

Now I'm thinking it would be wise to find some way to bury a waterproof container with some supplies

A plastic barrel could work for that if you leave the top just above the ground and have a fireproof covering for it

[Wanderer]

You might be able to survive a fast moving grass fire by jumping in a pond or using the shelters, but a fire like the one around Bastrop is just too hot. I talked to my friend last night after she saw what was left of her house, and the only item she could still identify was the refrigerator, and it was partially melted. No living being can survive something like that. I'm not sure you could even survive in an underground tornado shelter.

If presented with a wildfire, I'm hightailing it out with my critters at the first whiff of smoke. Property can be replaced, living being can't.

[Explorer]

Pool and scuba tanks.

[salmonslayer]

Originally Posted by Wanderer

You might be able to survive a fast moving grass fire by jumping in a pond or using the shelters, but a fire like the one around Bastrop is just too hot. I talked to my friend last night after she saw what was left of her house, and the only item she could still identify was the refrigerator, and it was partially melted. No living being can survive something like that. I'm not sure you could even survive in an underground tornado shelter.

If presented with a wildfire, I'm hightailing it out with my critters at the first whiff of smoke. Property can be replaced, living being can't.

Yes, I think some people may have differing ideas of what the fires are like in their minds and it does depend on the type. As a fire fighter I fight a lot of grass and brush fires around here and the fires intensity and speed vary wildly. But when you get into a forest fire where the flames are jumping tops it will outrun you, it can get incredibly and unsurvivably hot, and you will not be able to breath. There are many factors that magnify the problem including wind speed and direction, humidity, the lay of the land (i.e., fires like to move up hill), and one of the things I see a lot, the number of fire breaks or how the wood lot has been managed.

Landowners are not doing the controlled burns they once did and having a lot of combustible brush and duff built up over the years increases fire danger significantly. Keep your lots cleaned up and maintained and eliminate as many combustibles from around your house and buildings as a first start and then evacuate before the fires get too close.

[tkrabec]

Originally Posted by salmonslayer

Landowners are not doing the controlled burns they once did and having a lot of combustible brush and duff built up over the years increases fire danger significantly. Keep your lots cleaned up and maintained and eliminate as many combustibles from around your house and buildings as a first start and then evacuate before the fires get too close.

Remember the 80's all fire is bad. I believe in controlled (more or less) burns, screw the smoke. I'd rather deal with smoke covering my property, than have fire doing it.