Brush fires, or wildfires, are one of the most dangerous types of blazes for firefighters to battle – and are especially dangerous when you can’t call the fire department. Fire preparedness is perhaps one of the most neglected aspects of preparedness. Fires can double in size approximately once every 30 seconds to a minute. Dry brush and trees will catch fire quickly. Minor wind fluctuation can take you from a point of safety straight into the path of rapidly encroaching flames in a matter of seconds.
In a power grid down scenario, calling the local fire department will likely not be a viable option. Transformers popping after a weather event, EMP attack, or solar flare takes down the fire grid will create spark hundreds of fires in the impacted region. If an EMP attack occurs and thousands of planes fall from the sky, fires will burn unchecked in both urban and rural areas alike.
Fire Preparedness
- Take stock of flammable materials around the home and auxiliary structures. Properly dispose of any necessary items in a timely manner. There are three categories of flammable materials — Class A, B, and C. Class A flammables are common combustibles such as wood, paper and plastic. Class B items include grease and flammable liquids. Class C blazes are basically electrical fires which often stem from either Class A or B flammables. Understanding what types of fire you are most likely to be faced with is extremely important from a preparedness aspect.
- Remove tree branches extending within 10 feet of the opening of a chimney.
- Clear branches, leaves and pine needles out of gutters and off roof surfaces on a regular basis.
- Wet the roof and sides of the home down with a garden hose during dry periods.
- Place a screen comprised of non-flammable material over stovepipes or chimneys. The openings in the screen should not exceed half an inch, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
- Do not store hay bales against one another. Combustion from heat or flying embers is common. Set round hay bales at least a foot a part and do not stack more than several square bales on or next to one another. If a wildfire is near, wet the bales with a water hose and separate if time allows. Storing bales inside a barn may be convenient, but it could ultimately cost you both the barn and the livestock huddled inside. Placing the bales in the sun or separating the material after danger has passed will help prevent mold. Cows can typically eat hay with a bit of mold, but it will make a horse or donkey very ill or cause death.
- Think twice before placing pine shrubs next to the home, because they catch fire quickly when dry. Think brittle Christmas trees with the lights left on too long. Skip attractiveness in favor of fire prevention when it comes to deciding what will be planted near the home and other structures.
- Thin out underbrush near the vicinity of the home. If you own goats (or huge land tortoises like I do) this chore can be easily taken care of without you being forced to swing a sickle.
- Trim tree branches so they are at least 15 feet off the ground.
- Create a fuel break around all shelters on the property.
- Dispose of fireplace or wood burning stove and charcoal briquettes only after they have been soaked for at least an hour in a metal bucket filled with cold water.
- Never store gasoline near the home, and only keep the fuel in approved containers. If a fire does appear to be approaching your home, quickly move the gasoline out of its storage shed and dispose of the fuel if at all possible.
- Propane tanks should also be stored far away from the home and barn. Make sure that flammable vegetation is not present near the storage location. Moving propane tanks when a fire threat is present is also advised. Make sure tank valves remain in the off position.
- Be careful where you place firewood, there is nothing more attractive to a wildfire than dry and ample kindling. Do not make a wood pile near the home or other structures. Wet the wood down thoroughly if a blaze nears the property. It would be a shame to lose the wood or be faced with a long wait for it to dry out, but once again, preserving the home is the only goal that matters during such an emergency.
- Take a basic firefighting course to learn the skills necessary to protect both your home and your family during an emergency. Used firefighter gear can often be found at a greatly reduced cost at fire department fundraisers and at online auction sites. Although taking a basic course at a local community college may not mean you will have all the tools and abilities necessary to stand your ground and defend your home, the knowledge may help you prevent a small fire from becoming a big one and give your loved ones the precious minutes necessary to escape the blaze. Rural counties are often served by an entirely volunteer firefighting force and would likely welcome you into the fold – and pay for your training in the process.
- Indian Pack: These portable water pouches with a hose are also not cheap to purchase, but will allow you to put out fires in a wooded area near your home before it reaches loved ones or the shelter and preps you need to survive.
- Baking Soda: The soda smothers the flames from a grease fire before it can spread.
- Chimfex: The commercial chimney fire extinguisher and an ABC extinguisher can help save your bug-in dwelling should a fire start inside the home in the heat and cooking source.
- Bunker Gear: These are the suits firefighters wear to battle blazes. Different suits are used when fighting brush or wildland fires and typical building fires. These are also expensive, but used ones can often be found online.
Fire Preparedness Building Tips
- Log cabins or small wood homes are commonplace for rural preppers. Choose a simple concrete block house or a shipping container home, metal barns instead of traditional wood structures.
Fire Preparedness Education
- You do not have to plan on becoming either a professional or volunteer firefighter in order to sign up for the basic 40-hour class. Ask local firefighters about training sessions and community college courses so you can learn how to use firefighting hand tools and how to dig fire breaks, and other life-saving tips now, before the power grid goes down and popping and cracking transformers destroy your barn, livestock, garden, and home.