The focus of this report is primarily directed toward the situation that occurred along the northeastern coast of Florida, between Jacksonville and Orlando, in June and early July 1998. During this time period hundreds of fires were burning throughout the state. This particular area was the most critical in terms of lives and structures at risk, however, the overall situation was much larger and more complex than the aspects that are described in detail in this report.
This analysis also directs particular attention to the operations of structural fire departments and local agencies, which had to operate under severe stress in an unusual and unanticipated set of circumstances. Most of the fire departments that were involved in this situation have very limited resources and had little experience with operations of this magnitude and duration. This experience should provide valuable information for other fire departments that may have to face similar situations in the future.
This report also describes the role of the wildland fire suppression forces, however, these operations are more thoroughly analyzed in other reports. The systems that are used to assemble and coordinate large scale wildland fire fighting operations are sophisticated and well established. While the operation in Florida was one of the largest and most complicated wildland fire fighting campaigns in US history, all of the essential components to conduct this type of operation were already in place. The wildland fire suppression operation was greatly complicated by having to fight multiple simultaneous fires in close proximity to populated and highly vulnerable areas.
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