The keys to stopping a wildfire in Pinellas are knowing what the topography is, what the wind is doing and what plants and dead vegetation are burning. DeWolfe, another ranger stationed in Pinellas, said he can tell what is burning before he gets to the fire. If the smoke is hazy, almost white, then it's probably grass that's burning, DeWolfe said. If he spots columns of dark-brown smoke, it is most likely palmettos burning. If he hears crackling, then it's a sure bet gallberries are getting toasted.
Palmettos have a wax-based layer over their leaves.
They burn very hot and spit out embers that can float across fire breaks and start other fires. Last June, DeWolfe was about 5 miles from a fire at the preserve in Oldsmar when he spotted the column of smoke. You could just tell by the power that it had awesome fuel on the ground. The blaze ended up burning more than 210 acres. After sizing up a wildfire, forest rangers will unload their bulldozer and begin plowing the fire breaks.