The natural ground cover in most of these areas is thick pine forest, with a heavy undergrowth of grasses and native plants. If left alone for several years, this material tends to form a thick mass that is almost impossible to penetrate on foot or in wheeled vehicles. These natural fuels are highly combustible, particularly many of the native plants, such as the palmetto, which produce oils and waxes in abundant quantities. Deepseated fires are common in the undergrowth and are most often controlled by cutting a fire break around the burn area with a plow attached to a tracked vehicle.
This fuel is quite different from the natural cover in many other parts of North America, particularly the northern and western states, which is only susceptible to fires during periods of very low humidity. Because of the waxes and oils within many ofthe plants, they will burn readily while they are still green and relatively moist. When a drought occurs, the woods become a tinderbox, easily ignited and very difficult to extinguish. The experience and fire growth models that are used in other areas have to be adjusted to successfully predict wildland fire behavior in Florida.
Florida’s high humidity, frequent participation and flat terrain usually assist in keeping the fire risk under control. Unfortunately, these characteristics also add to the problem of access into the wildland areas when fires occur. Even in an exceptionally dry year, the ground is often damp or swampy and can only be traversed by tracked or4-wheel drive vehicles. The thick undergrowth makes access to wooded areas very difficult. Conventional vehicles are restricted to improved roads.
While a 4-wheel drive vehicles can often get close enough to a fire to achieve knock-down with water, tracked equipment is usually required to plow trenches around a fire to achieve full containment. Overhauling a fire in the underbrush usually requires extensive manual labor, as this material may continue to smolder for weeks after a fire has been contained.
The extreme weather conditions in 1998 set the stage for disaster, with dozens of fires that could not be extinguished and more fires being ignited every day. The magnitude of the situation would only be resolved by an end to the drought and the crisis continued until the rain arrived in July.
Next » Fire Service Organization
Save to del.icio.us
