The following photos were taken on the North Rim on May 16, 2000. Crews get a break after being pulled off the line. High winds grounded aerial operations, increasing hazards for firefighters. High winds caused torching of trees in the Saddle Mountain area. Photo of the Saddle Mountain area.
Fire needs oxygen, heat, and fuel to burn.
Remove any one and the fire goes out. Here fire fighters are using water and foam to rob the fire of heat. Foam slows evaporation of water and covers more surface area using the same amount of water, essentially increasing the effectiveness of water. Hand tools allow the fire fighter to mix in dirt, cutting off oxygen to the fire. Fire is not a frequent visitor to the cooler, more moist mixed conifer forests of the North Rim.