How Fires Start
By: Brittany Pelletz
Updated: January 22, 2009
Fires in rural parts of the country are a real problem, but how do they start to begin with?
They are often hard to get to and hard to put out because of the availability of water so, the key is stopping the fire before it ever gets started.
Sometimes, it's man-made causes such as sparks from a welder's torch, a discarded cigarette, or sparks from a passing train.
Other times, it's the weather itself.
A trailer fire a few years ago in Tye was caused by sparks from an arcing power line.
The winds were blowing the lines and the sparks fell to the ground and ignited dead grass.
The blaze then spread to the mobile home nearby.
No one was at home at the time of this fire and there were no injuries.
When the humidity is low like today, just the absence of moisture in the air can be conducive to fires, but the biggest culprit is the wind.
Not only can it blow down power lines, igniting fires; once a fire gets going, it can get out of hand very quickly when fanned by strong, gusty winds.
There are some steps you can take to minimize your risk.
First, reduce clutter; things around your property that might burn, such as wood stacked against the house.
Second, cut back trees, especially those that may be near your house.
Third, cut a fire break.
Don't let vegetation grow right up to your home.
Finally, have an evacuation plan so that when a fire does threaten, you'll be ready to go.
Stay informed and when time comes to evacuate, leave your home and get out while you can safely do so.
This is good advice because fires can and do move very, very quickly, sometimes cutting off evacuation routes.
