Forest Fire

How about this scenario: You're out in the woods camping/hiking miles away from any road or town. After a long morning hike you settle down for a brief midday nap only to be awoken an hour later by howling winds and the smell of smoke. A quick scan reveals a huge wall of fire rolling towards you. The weather has been very dry lately and the brush is crisp. You realize given this and the winds you can never outrun the rapidly approaching flames. Lets assume you just have a simple camping tent and the only water within reach is a very shallow stream only a couple of inches deep. Also assume there are no caves that you know of. What would you do?

curl up in a ball and die. I have no idea what to do. that is a good situation...er...well a bad situation. you know what I mean. Rolling Eyes

_________________
quote of the week: "Missed it by that much,"- Get Smart.

well i would ditch the dent cuz well thats just going to go POOF!!! as soon as a flame hits it lol. i would cut down trees with my chain saw that i keep in my pocket lol and build a little fire break and a wall of logs to slow the fire down then i would roll around in the water to get nice and wet then make a run for it Laughing

Ditch the tent, run to the stream, roll in it till im soaked & " try " to run with the stream, that way if the fire became to close and i new i could no longer out run it i would just lay down in the stream & pray that i make it through Confused

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
We are Known By The Tracks we Leave Behind
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Well seeing as how I ran into this senario last summer with the exception of I could make it out, it was just a long haul if the roads got closed off, I would say either make a run for it, following the stream as DD said, or with the time I have, dig a pit in the stream as deep as I can get, hopefully enough to fit my body, and then wait it out or die Confused

_________________
We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else

I say ditch the tent, run to the stream, then run along it until flames are too close then swim. Unless the are on me, then I go all the way under Laughing

_________________
-Thou may'st break, but shalt not bend me.
-"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can"~John Wesley

Get wet and try to make a fire break. If it fails, make a run for it.

_________________
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Prov. 27:17

Start a fire break a short distance up wind of the creek, and follow it until it crosses the creek. Lie in the creek until the main fire reaches where you started the break. It might burn out enough that you can head back upwind, to the area behind the front line of the fire.

I didn't think about that. Getting behind the fire is a good idea. Depends on the exact circumstances, but anyway, thinking about these kind of things is good. Cool

_________________
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Prov. 27:17

hay maybe you could wet the tent and use it while you lie in the stream possibly. Confused

_________________
quote of the week: "Missed it by that much,"- Get Smart.

I like your idea wildthing Very Happy

can fire jump a stream Question

_________________
I just heard something big crack�.. holy crap!-Les Stroud

	linsleyk wrote:
	I like your idea wildthing can fire jump a stream

yes if the wind is blowing that there is stuff that will burn on the other side

_________________
quote of the week: "Missed it by that much,"- Get Smart.

It depends on how wide the stream is, but yes, it can jump a stream. Even a fire break is not impervious to a forest fire. Shocked

_________________
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Prov. 27:17

	wildthing wrote:
	hay maybe you could wet the tent and use it while you lie in the stream possibly.

Also, when you're ready to leave the stream, maybe the tent can be used to carry a small amount of water so you can douse yourself or some flames when you're on the move.

Someone mentioned making a fire break. By that did you mean start a second fire infront of the approaching fire? That's what popped into my head when I read the question. This is what I would do.....

_________________
"Arrogance, I'm above that sort of thing."

That's it exactly, Askdamice. For those unfamiliar with fire breaks, what you do is deliberately burn an area downwind of a fire so that when the fire reaches that area it dies out because all the trees have already been burned. This is where the phrase "fight fire with fire" comes from. You would have to plan this carefully to avoid experiencing another phrase: "out of the frying pan and into the fire."

I thought that's what you were talking about.... first thing I thought of too. Very Happy

_________________
"Arrogance, I'm above that sort of thing."

great picture and discription of a fire break thanks Very Happy

_________________
I just heard something big crack�.. holy crap!-Les Stroud

You hit the nail on the head, Rick. Cool

_________________
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. - Prov. 27:17

Well Rick that looks like a classic swarm tactic that the fire always takes, maybe you should laydown some suppression fire as well and try a flanking maneuver with your light infantry Laughing

Nice drawing

_________________
We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else