how to escap heroin fire into the forest proper store
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Solution: Let’s back up a minute. Part of your pre-hike planning should include assessing risks in the area. Check with local park rangers to learn more about conditions before heading into the wild. Smokey Bear is all about prevention, which is great, but what about surviving forest fires?
Forest fire survival strategies are complex and will differ based on any number of factors: the severity of the fire; your location and proximity to the fire and to roads or other potential escape routes; weather; and the terrain.
In general, forest fires are driven by two factors: wind and terrain. In both cases, it is critical to move upwind (that is, into the wind) when attempting to escape wildfires. You can determine general wind direction by viewing which way the smoke is moving, assuming there’s reasonable visibility. Look high up in the sky, where the smoke direction is less affected by the terrain. You should also travel downhill. This is because the hot air masses created by the fire tend to move up, making higher elevations more prone to ignition.
Once you’ve determined your direction of travel, search for a natural firebreak: an area without combustible material. This may be a road or a clear-cut area of woods, or it may be a boulder field or body of water.
In general, large trees retain more moisture than, say, dry fields, so if you must seek protection in an area without a firebreak, avoid open areas and ones with small, dry scrub brush. Such areas are extremely dangerous during a forest fire. Flames also tend to travel uphill, and running uphill will slow you down anyway.
Can you — or should you even attempt to — outrun a forest fire? Again, wildfires are unpredictable. Researchers have been perplexed by recent California fires with flames that have spread at incredible speed, mostly due to unprecedented levels of drought. The short answer is that a wall of flame can move at 20 mph or faster and easily overtake a runner. Plus, embers might travel in unpredictable directions via updrafts or so-called “chimneys,” igniting new flare-ups ahead of you as you try to outrun the fire. If you must run, try to make it through the leading edge of the fire into an area that has already burned.
In a situation where you cannot escape the flames and cannot make it to a safe location, your best option is to locate a trench or deep gulley. Dig a hole in the side, cover the opening with a tarp or blanket, and then crawl into the hole. Alternatively, dig a trench and lie down in it with your feet facing the direction of the flames, and cover yourself with dirt. Make sure you can breathe, and wait for the fire to travel over you.
Safe Campfire Tips
According to the U.S. Forest Service, people cause nine out of 10 wildfires. Unattended campfires are one of the common causes of wildfires.