Skyon fire!

Combat Edge, Oct, 2004 by Anton Komatz

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If you are caught in a wildfire out in the open while hiking, camping, etc.:

Before heading out, check the fire danger level, and plan your trips carefully to include providing a trip plan with someone and telling them when you expect to return.

Your senses may be your first warning of danger; be aware of your surroundings, look and smell for smoke, as well as listening for the sounds of a fire. If a fire is suspected or confirmed, leave the area immediately, traveling toward lower elevation as fire will travel up-slope. Avoid entering narrow valleys and steep slopes (travel near their edges) as they act as a natural chimney, funneling smoke and flames upward.

Just as with seeking shelter in an automobile, remove synthetic material away from your body and replace them with dry cotton or wool items or a blanket. Carry your back-pack instead of wearing it so it doesn't catch on limbs or throw you off balance as you make your escape. Also, discard any flammable items such as lamp or stove fuel, matches, or lighters.

If you become encircled and trapped by the fire, look for shelter in a body of water, amongst rocks, or a natural depression in the ground, void of burnable materials, in which to lie in. If none are available, clear a 10 to 20-foot circle around you of flammable materials and lie face down in the middle of it. If possible, cover yourself with dirt/soil to protect yourself from the radiant heat, always taking care to cover your head (breathe through a moistened cloth if available to avoid smoke inhalation). The fire will be consuming much of the available oxygen; however, oxygen levels will increase as the fire passes.

In a last-ditch attempt at survival, your only consideration may be to run into the fire to reduce your exposure time and increase your chances for survival. If you elect this avenue of escape, ensure your skin and hair are covered by dry cotton or wool and run into/toward a burned area or where the flames are less than 4 feet in height.

As more and more people build homes and take up residence in rural, wilderness areas, the threat of wildfires will increase as well. Take time to become familiar with the fire danger where you live, and take steps to lesson your home's exposure to fire by taking precautions to design and build "firewise" homes, to properly landscaping and maintaining your home. There is a wealth of information through government and commercial sources on wildfire prevention and preparation. Below is a list of websites consulted in the compilation of this article, and others to provide ready reference information to help you prepare.

National Interagency Fire Center at: http://www.nifc.gov/

National Red Cross at: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0594,00.html

Larimar County, Colorado, website at: http://www.co.larimer.co.us/wildfire/Residentialhandout.htm

About Adventure Travel at: http://adventuretravel.about.com/cs/backpacking/ht/WildfireSafety.htm

Federal Emergency Management Agency at: http://www.fema.gov/fima/how2001.shtm