Forest Fire

I have fough forest fires, and anyone who follows the news knows that Montana has been having a real problem with wildfires in the past several years.

With the exception of getting to a rocky area, where a wet tent would help to filter the air and keep a little of the heat off, (by the way, if the tent is nylon, ditch it as far away from you as possible!) the second best option is a backburn. The water in the creek, unless you have a lot of it won't help much. From the description, it is too shallow to provide protection.

In a timber fire, the back burn can cause you more trouble as it may not move as fast as the fire coming toward you. In a range fire the backburn is a really good survival technique.

On thing that might work, and this should only be performed by trained fire fighters, is first look for a hill or a rise. if you can get on the far side of it, and watch the fire come toward you.

Forest fires create their own updraft and suck air from the surrounding area into themselves. This is why a backburn in a forest fire may not work, but in this situation, may give you a fighting chance. Fire burns uphill, so if you are over the crest of a hill from the fire you are in a reduced danger area. Remember, fires can send burning embers for miles and start fires behind you as well. Back to the story, once the fire starts up the far side of the hill, start your own fire a few yards below the crest of the hill on your side. The thermal updraft combined with the grade of the hill should pull your fire to the crest to meet the other fire.

The burned area and the hill will offer you a modicum of safety.

The best course of action is to not be in that situation at all, but if you have time, move down wind of a fire as your first course of action. Fire won't burn against the wind, does not like to burn down hill,(embers may roll down and start fires at the bottom, but as a general rule), and try to move to the flanks of a fire if possible to let it burn past.

If the conditions are as described, stay out of the deep woods and try camping a little closer to the roads or a river.

Not putting yourself in that situation is always the best course of action. What I described above are desperation measures, not something to feel will protect you all the time, but just a way to maybe escape the fire and walk out medium rare insead of well done! Very Happy

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All gave some, Some gave all.

Good post wolfsbane Cool

Cheers

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A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Thats great Wolfsbane. Thanks for the post. I always respect advice from those that have "been there, done that" so to speak. In order to defeat something you must first understand it, intimately. Although it is not practical (or sane) to light a forest fire to practice this scenario walking through it and educating yourself might just save your hide someday. That holds true for all survival skills... the next time it rains, go outside and try to get a fire going... when it's windy, practice setting up your tent. Just remember to do this stuff in a controlled environment so you don't end up in a real situation.

Rick

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

I'd run to the stream and downhill with it. Streams flow downhill but could lead you back towards the fire.... anyway, run downhill away from the flames and hope that the stream leads to a large body of water fast... hopefully the stream will also slow the fire. That's what comes to mind right away anyway.

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Never explain. Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe you anyway.