Fire Suppression

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Fire Suppression
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What is Fire Suppression?

• The aim of fire suppression is, first, to stop or
  slow down the rate of a fire's spread, and
  secondly, to put it out.
  
  
  

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Why should we suppress forest fires?

• Fire is unpredictable.
• Economics
• To save lives and to protect property

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Fire is unpredictable

• The longer we wait to extinguish a fire the
  larger it grows and therefore it is harder to
  control

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Fire is unpredictable

• Worst-case scenario
• On August 20, 1910, hurricane-force winds sent
  fires careening through forests in Idaho and
  Montana. Dubbed "the big blowup," these fires
  destroyed 1,215,000 hectares of forest in just 48
  hours.
• 
  
• 
  
  (emissionhq.com)

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Economics

• Fact- The most extensive fire damage to forests
  is caused by older downed logs which are ignited
  by ground cover (shrubs and grasses)
  
  
• 
  
• 
  (www.nps.gov)

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Economics

• Why not have park rangers cut and sell these
  downed logs.
• It is a win-win situation

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Economics

• Removing downed logs reduces the intensity of
  fires which reduces the costs of fire fighting
• Campers and homeowners with wood stoves receives
  a valuable service (fire wood)
• The money received from wood sales provides a new
  source of income for our State and National Parks

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Economics

• Another sources of income
• Cutting down older trees, which are more fire
  prone, and selling the wood as lumber
• Why let it burn when we can use it to make homes
• More revenue for our parks
• Current lumber prices 2-10/BF
  
• 
  (www.internetlumber.com)