The Station Fire, which began towards the end of August 2009, is now recorded as one of the most devastating wildfires in California’s history. In total the fire burned about 160 acres of land and 89 homes. The Station Fire is currently considered to be the worst in Los Angeles’s recorded history in terms of the amount of land that was burned. The Station Fire occurred in a year in which other devastating wildfires caused significant damage in various parts of California. Notable fires in Southern California during 2009 include the La Brea Fire and the Morris Fire. It is interesting to note how many significant fires coincided with each other in one year. Even though fires, such as the Station Fire and La Brea Fire, were deemed to be acts of arson, it is important to inquire as to why the Station Fire and the other 2009 fires capitulated rapidly out of control, whereas many other wildfires do not react in a similar way. One approach is to consider the fuel, such as dry brush, that a wildfire requires for propagation. In particular, analyzing the amount and type of fuel available for the Station Fire to burn, produces plausible explanations as to why the Station Fire had a significantly more devastating effect in comparison to other wildfires.
Firstly, it
is important to consider the role of firefighters in the process of wildfires.
In a way firefighters disturb the natural equilibrium that is present.
Wildfires are a natural occurrence in the region of Southern
California. For example, some plant species even use wildfires to
aid in reproduction. When a wildfire is initiated it is propagated by the dead
brush and vegetation that has accumulated in past years. This fuel is then
removed and no longer poses further risk of accumulating and later burning,
which may result in even larger fires. Firefighters, however, suppress fires in an
attempt to protect property and areas of human habitation. Therefore, over
the years this fuel accumulates and poses a risk of starting an even larger and
uncontrollable fire. This in part explains the size of the Station Fire. The extent
of the fire was multiplied in magnitude owing to all the accumulated fuel that
the fire could access.
It is also crucial to analyze the
type of fuel available to the Station Fire, so that the devastating impact of
the fire can be more accurately rationalized. It is beneficial to use a fuel
map to visualize the different types of fuels available in the different areas of Los Angeles County. Fuel for fire is divided into
four categories: grasses, brush, timber, and slash. Fuel models are obtained by
determining the types of vegetation present in the overall mixture. A fuel
model is useful, because it can be used to predict the behavior of a fire.
Therefore, firefighters can predict how a fire will behave by knowing the types
of vegetation it is burning. For example, grasslands and savannas would be
deemed fit for fuel model 1. Fuel model 1 contains very sparse amounts of shrub
or timber. The fire in a region containing such fuels is predicted to move
rapidly and remain on the low surface of the grasses, since the vegetation within fuel model 1
is usually short. A fuel map is obtained by combining all the various fuel
models present in a given area.
Each fuel model uses mathematical
calculations in order to approximate the behavior of the fire. The total fuel
available in a fuel model is calculated by combining the amount of dead and alive
fuel available in the region. The height of the fuel above the surface of the
ground is then also taken into account. Also taken into account is the type or
types of fuel present in the region. Therefore, some fuel models will result in
more devastating fires than other fuel models. Additionally some fuel models
will require for wind to be present to propagate and spread the flames, while
in other fuel models the fire does not require significant wind presence.
The fuel map for Los Angeles County has a variety of different fuel models. It is crucial to note that the predominant fuel model of the area in which the Station Fire burned is fuel model 4. A fire burning in material of fuel model 4 is predicted to be powerful, since it can consume the leafage of the plants and trees while also burning on the dead wood available. The fire also moves very quickly in this type of material. This dead wood is a major contributor in propagating the fire and making it powerful. The behavior of a fire in a fuel model 4 region is an accurate description of the Station Fire. The Station Fire was propelled onwards not only because it had significant amounts of fuel available, but also because of the type of fuel—dead timber—that it had available.
The fuel map for Los Angeles County has a variety of different fuel models. It is crucial to note that the predominant fuel model of the area in which the Station Fire burned is fuel model 4. A fire burning in material of fuel model 4 is predicted to be powerful, since it can consume the leafage of the plants and trees while also burning on the dead wood available. The fire also moves very quickly in this type of material. This dead wood is a major contributor in propagating the fire and making it powerful. The behavior of a fire in a fuel model 4 region is an accurate description of the Station Fire. The Station Fire was propelled onwards not only because it had significant amounts of fuel available, but also because of the type of fuel—dead timber—that it had available.
Works Cited
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Scott, Joe H., and Robert E. Burgan. Standard Fire
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Northwest Interagency Coordination
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