WILDFIRES

WHAT ARE WILDFIRES?

 WILDFIRES
 News about wildfires that often happen in places like
California (U.S.A) cause worry for many Filipinos whose
relatives consider the western U.S state as home. This is
because such wildfires threaten not only brushlands and
forest but, most especially, the homes nearby. Wildfires can
spread all the way to communities bordering brushlands and
forests and may cause extensive destruction to property.
 A wildfires is any natural or anthropogenic-caused
uncontrolled fire in remote areas where there is extensive
combustible vegetation and/or organic materials like forests,
grasslands, shrublands, brushlands, scrublands, and
peatlands. A wildfire can spread from the source of ignition
very quickly and can change direction unexpectedly. Strong
winds enable wildfires to grow very large because of the
continuous supply of oxygen. Also, strong winds can scatter
burning debris, which could trigger fires in other places.
 TYPES OF WILDFIRES
 GROUND FIRES involve of burning of buried
decomposed organic matter and extensive tree root systems.
The smoldering fire associated with the burning of roots is
particularly dangerous because even when the fire appears
to have been extinguished, the fire can smolder for days or
months underground and the surface again somewhere along
any of the large network of roots.
 SURFACE FIRES the most common type of wildfires,
involve the burning of fuel scattered on the surface like
fallen leaves, branches, bark, stems, tree cutting, and dried-
up low lying vegetation-like shrubs and grasses.
 CROWN FIRES burn tree canopies, other higher parts of
trees, and suspended materials like vines. This type of
wildfire spreads very rapidly because of the strong winds
which supply more and more oxygen. The extent and
intensity of a crown fire is controlled by density of the
suspended material, the height of continuity of the canopies,
and the intensity of ground and/or surface fires which may
spread upward.
 LADDER FUELS are any combustible material found
between the ground and the tree tops which allow fire to
climb up all the way to the canopies. These include small
trees, tall grasses, tree branches, downed trees, vines, ferns,
and other plants that span the length of tree trunks.
Woodpiles, fences, and hut also contribute to the vertical
spread of fire.
 CAUSES OF WILD FIRES
 1. NATURAL CAUSES
-Many wildfires are triggered by the tremendous heat
associated with lightning strikes. Wildfires are favored during
thunderstorms that are accompanied by little to no rain. Also,
Lava flows during volcanic eruptions ignite almost anything
that they come into contact with and can trigger wildfires.
 Wildfire can occur due to spontaneous combustion of highly
combustible fuels in forests, due to extremely hot and dry
weather. A material can suddenly burst into flame when it
reaches a certain threshold temperature called flash point.
Wildfires can proliferate, especially during dry spells,
droughts, or heat weaves. Rockfalls can also trigger wildfires
because of the sparks caused by friction between rock
surfaces or between rocks and wood.
 2. HUMAN ACTIVITIES
-Human activities are responsible for the majority of reported
wildfires. Humans, wittingly or unwittingly, start wildfires.
Kaingin (slash-and-burn method of clearing land) and
charcoal production are examples of fires which were started
intentionally, but most probably went out control.
 CONTROLLING AND
PREVENTING WILDFIRES
 Wildfires should not be completely prevented because these
are also known to benefit the ecosystem. Man-made
wildfires should be prevented, but naturally-caused
wildfires should be permitted as long as they are controlled
so that lives and properties are not put at risk.
 Grazing can be done to reduce fuel-like brushes and to
prevent fires from starting and spreading.

In mature forest, there are more established method of

maintenance.
1. Sanitation - continuous removal of dead/dried-up/sick
trees.
2. Thinning – removal of less developed and dying trees
every seven to ten years while maintaining the normal
density level of forests.
3. Pruning – removal of lower branches of a tree reaching
one-third of it’s height, which may reach as high as 4 meters
particularly in recreational areas and along trails where there
is a higher risk of fires.
3. Removal of cuttings and other tree waste materials –
cuttings and other waste can be transported to the side of the
road or burned in clearings.

Fire and grazing lines can also be made and maintained to

reduce the amount of flammable matter.
 Forest fires can be reduced further through community
participation in fire prevention as fire volunteers and in
publicity and education efforts; passing and enforcing
legislation which requires maintenance of forest; and
imposing penalties for committing acts which are harmful to
forest.
THANK YOU!