More and more frequently, as populations increase and people settle in rural areas, wildfire constitutes a threat to both the forest resource and the lives and property of the citizens. Each year Forestry Commission firefighters respond to an average of 6,000 wildfires which burn a total of about 30,000 acres. Very little wildlife is actually killed by fire, but some habitat may be temporarily destroyed. The actual impact on wildlife depends on the availability of acceptable habitat nearby, and whether the fire interrupts the animals' reproductive cycle. To understand how firefighters combat forest fire, it is important to understand the elements of fire itself.
Fire is actually rapid oxydation of fuel, stimulated by heat.
Fuel is anything that will burn in the forest, including dead grass, leaves, pine straw, brush and even the trees themselves. There is always plenty of oxygen from the air, so all that is needed to create a fire is a heat source . . . Firefighters with rural fire departments may take another approach by spraying water or foam on the fire to remove the heat. Sometimes firefighters take away a fire's oxygen by throwing dirt on it or smothering it with long-handled fire swatters. Invite a forest firefighter to demonstrate his equipment, discuss the procedures for reporting wildfires, and explain how fire protection works in your county.