Every day, the western United States records new wildland fires. Many are being caused by dry lightning. As of Aug. 17, there were 67,503 fires this year, compared to the 10-year average of 59,992. Total acres burned this year to date were 5,131,170, compared to the 10-year average of 2,469,712.
Firefighters are stretched thin, battling 86 large wildland fires in 13 western states. The firefighting was being augmented by Marines and National Guard troops in areas where experienced firefighters could be released to operate at more urgent locations.
Numerous aircraft, equipment, crew and overhead resource orders were being processed by the National Interagency Coordination Center in Boise, ID. The weather forecast is for hot and dry conditions, humidity in the single digits to low teens, and temperatures of 90-110 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of the worst conditions, like the Santa Ana winds, have a few months before they have an effect. There has been talk of requesting firefighting resources from outside the country to come and assist.
The circumstances of the prescribed burn near Los Alamos, NM, that caused the major wildfire we reported on in the August issue is still under investigation. The National Park Service and Congress are still looking into the fire, which caused $ 1 billion in damage.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that on-duty U.S. firefighter deaths reached a 10-year peak last year. There were 112 on-duty firefighter fatalities in 1999, the highest toll since 1989, when 118 firefighters were killed in the line of duty.
The report cites an increase of 21 deaths from 1998, and indicates that stress and overexertion, usually resulting in heart attacks, continue to be the leading causes of deaths of on-duty U.S. firefighters. Fireground deaths were responsible for 50% of the total. Accidents that occurred while responding to alarms or returning to quarters accounted for 29%. On-scene non-fire emergencies and non-emergency-related on-duty activities claimed 9% of the firefighters, and training activities caused 4% of the deaths.
Some other amazing statistics from 1999: fire deaths totaled 3,570, a decrease of 11% from 1998. Every 17 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the country. A house fire occurs every 85 seconds, a civilian injury every 24 minutes, a civilian fatality every 21/2 hours. Fires rose 4% to 1.82 million and property damage was up 16% to just over $10 billion.
Despite all of the prevention, pre-planning, training and coordination, it looks like there is still a long way for all of us to go before we put ourselves out of a job.
