ANNOUNCER: PRESENTATION OF
DIALOGUE 4 KIDS ON IDAHO
PUBLIC TELEVISION IS MADE
POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS
SUPPORT OF THE LAURA MOORE
CUNNINGHAM
FOUNDATION-COMMITTED TO
FULFILLING THE MOORE'S FAMILY
LEGACY OF HELPING BUILD THE
GREAT STATE OF IDAHO.
JOAN CARTAN HANSEN: COMING UP,
WILDFIRES .
HOW DO THEY GET STARTED, HOW
DO THEY BURN AND HOW AND WHEN
DO WE PUT THEM OUT.
THE SCIENCE OF FIGHTING
WILDFIRES, STAY TUNED,
DIALOGUE 4 KIDS IS NEXT.
(MUSIC)
HANSEN: THANKS FOR JOINING US
TODAY, AND WELCOME TO THE
THIRD SEASON OF DIALOGUE 4
KIDS.
I'M JOAN CARTAN HANSEN.
YOU KNOW TODAY'S TRAGEDIES
BACK EAST ARE KIND OF SCARY
TODAY, BUT WE KNOW THERE ARE
PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WERE
DOING THEIR BEST TO DEAL WITH
IT AND TO HELP KEEP ALL OF US
SAFE.
AND WE WANT PARENTS AND
TEACHERS TO KNOW THAT IDAHO
PUBLIC TELEVISION IS A SAFE
PLACE FOR KIDS TO WATCH.
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT AT
TIMES LIKE THIS YOU CAN BE
WITH PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT AND
TRY TO KEEP THINGS AS NORMAL
AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO TODAY, WE'RE EXCITED
ABOUT THIS CHANCE TO LEARN
ABOUT WILDFIRES.
AND TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE
OF WILDFIRES, YOU FIRST HAVE
TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT FIRE ITSELF.
FIRE IS A CHEMICAL REACTION.
YOU NEED THREE THINGS FOR A
FIRE - OXYGEN, FUEL AND HEAT.
IT'S CALLED A FIRE TRIANGLE.
COMBINE THE ELEMENTS OF THE
TRIANGLE AND YOU GET FIRE.
ELIMINATE JUST ONE, AND THE
FIRE GOES OUT.
THAT'S WHAT FIREFIGHTERS TRY
TO DO.
THEY USE WATER OR CHEMICALS TO
COOL THE FIRE OR ELIMINATE THE
OXYGEN.
THEY REMOVE THE BUSHES, TREES
OR GROUNDCOVER TO LIMIT THE
FUEL.
SOMETIMES FIREFIGHTERS USE A
BACK BURN TO STOP OR DIRECT
THE FIRE.
THEY SET A CONTROLLED BLAZE
AND BURN THE AREA IN THE
FIRE'S PATH THAT ELIMINATES
THE FUEL, SO THE FIRE DOESN'T
HAVE ANY PLACE TO GO.
SOMETIMES LAND MANAGERS SET A
PRESCRIBED FIRE ON PURPOSE OR
LET A NATURALLY STARTED FIRE
BURN.
BUT HOWEVER IT STARTS; THE
IDEA IS THE SAME A PRESCRIBED
BURN MAY REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
A WILDFIRE LATER ON.
AND THAT'S WHAT LAND MANAGERS
WORRY ABOUT, A WILDFIRE-IT'S A
BLAZE THAT'S OUT OF CONTROL.
IT CAN BE IN A FOREST OR A
RANGELAND AND WILDFIRES CAN BE
VERY SCARY.
THEY CREATE THEIR OWN HIGH
WINDS AND THOSE HIGH WINDS CAN
PUSH THE FIRE FURTHER AND
FASTER BURNING EVERYTHING IN
ITS PATH.
WILDFIRES SPREAD IN THREE
PATTERNS-A GROUND FIRE BURNS
THE MATERIAL IN THE SOIL
BENEATH THE SURFACE.
A SURFACE FIRE BURNS FALLEN
BRANCHES AND OTHER MATERIALS
ON THE GROUND.
AND CROWN FIRES BURN THE TOP
LAYERS OF THE TREES.
GROUND FIRES ARE THE HOTTEST
AND MOST DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.
TODAY'S FIREFIGHTERS USE A LOT
OF SCIENCE TO DO THEIR JOB.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE
WEATHER WILL DO, THEY NEED TO
KNOW WHAT KIND OF PLANTS OR
FUEL ARE IN THE PATH OF THE
BLAZE, AND THEY NEED TO KNOW
THE GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF
THE LAND.
BUT FIGHTING FIRE ISN'T AN
EXACT SCIENCE, SOMETIMES
THERE'S JUST NO STOPPING A
WILDFIRE.
SCIENTISTS PLAY AN IMPORTANT
ROLE AFTER THE FIRES TOO,
CHARRED LAND CAN ERODE OR WASH
AWAY BECAUSE THERE'S NO
GROUNDCOVER LEFT TO PROTECT
THE SOIL.
NOXIOUS WEEDS CAN CROWD OUT
NATIVE PLANTS.
SO SOON AFTER A FIRE, LAND
MANAGERS HELP REHABILITATE THE
BURNED AREAS BY PLANTING SEEDS
AND USING OTHER LANDSCAPING
TECHNIQUES.
FIRES ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF
OUR ECOSYSTEM, SOME TREES LIKE
THE LODGE POLE PINE, ACTUALLY
NEED FIRE TO OPEN UP THEIR
CONES AND RELEASE THEIR SEEDS.
SO WILDFIRES HAVE A GOOD AND A
BAD SIDE, AND IT'S A
SCIENTISTS JOB TO LEARN HOW TO
USE FIRE TO IMPROVE OUR LAND
AND HOW TO KEEP IT FROM
DESTROYING SOMETHING PRECIOUS.
HANSEN: AND JOINING ME NOW TO
TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
SCIENCE OF WILDFIRES, ARE
RANDY EARDLY HE'S THE FIRE
INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
SPECIALIST FOR THE BUREAU OF
LAND MANAGEMENT HERE IN
SOUTHEAST IDAHO.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE; I
APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON THE
SHOW.
RANDY EARDLEY: GLAD TO BE
HERE.
HANSEN: ALSO JOINING US IS
JOHN OWENS, WHO'S THE FIRE
EDUCATION SPECIALIST FOR THE
BLM AT NIFC, THE NATIONAL
INTERAGENCY FIRE CENTER.
THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE YOU
COMING.
JOHN OWENS: GOOD AFTERNOON
JOAN.
HANSEN: ALSO JOINING US IS,
EXCUSE ME, GET THAT OUT THERE,
NANCY WIGGINS A FUELS
MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST WITH THE
OCHOCO NATIONAL FOREST, THAT'S
ACTUALLY IN OREGON.
NANCY WIGGINS: YES.
HANSEN: THANK YOU FOR COMING
ON, I APPRECIATE THAT.
WIGGINS: THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME.
HANSEN: AND, OF COURSE, WE'LL
BE TAKING YOUR CALLS AND
QUESTIONS.
GIVE US CALL TOLL FREE HERE AT
1-800-973-9800, OR YOU CAN
EMAIL US AT DIALOGUE4KIDS, NOW
THAT'S THE NUMBER 4,
KIDS@IDPTV.PBS.ORG.
AND REMEMBER, WHEN YOU CALL IN
YOUR QUESTION, YOU AND YOUR
CLASS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO
WIN A SET OF SCIENCE BOOKS.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START
WITH THE FIRST QUESTIONS THAT
CAME IN EARLIER THIS MORNING.
FROM MRS. HUNT'S FOURTH GRADE
CLASS AT CYNTHIA MANN, TAYLOR
ASKED, "HOW MANY WILDFIRES DO
WE HAVE IN IDAHO A YEAR?"
EARDLEY: WELL ACROSS THE STATE
WE PROBABLY HAVE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD OF 750 FIRES.
A LOT OF THOSE ARE LIGHTENING
STARTS ACROSS THE FOREST,
WHERE THEY MAY ONLY BURN A
SINGLE TREE.
BUT ACTUALLY OUT OF THAT
NUMBER, PROBABLY MORE THAN
FIFTY PERCENT ARE STARTED BY
HUMANS, AS WELL.
HANSEN: AND GETTING US ON
EMAIL FROM OUR THIRD GRADE
CLASS AT MCKINLEY IS, "WHERE
IS THE WORST FIRE IN THE
U.S.?"
I GUESS RIGHT NOW.
CODY ASKED THAT QUESTION.
OWENS: IN THE U.S.
RIGHT NOW WOULD PROBABLY BE
THERE'S TWO FIRES IN
CALIFORNIA.
THE COLE FIRE IS PROBABLY THE
WORST, UP IN OUTSIDE OF
OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA.
HANSEN: OKAY AND LET'S GO TO
CRYSTAL IN ST. ANTHONY AT
LINCOLN, CRYSTAL ARE YOU
THERE?
LET'S SEE CRYSTAL CAN YU HEAR
ME?
SHERRY: HELLO.
HANSEN: THERE WE GO.
HEY CRYSTAL.
SHERRY: HI.
HANSEN: WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION
TODAY?
SHERRY: HOW IS THE HABITAT
AFFECTED AND HOW LONG DOES IT
TAKE TO RECUPERATE?
HANSEN: GREAT, OH I'M SORRY
THIS IS SHERRY AT TAFT SCHOOL
IN BOISE.
THANKS.
OKAY.
WIGGINS: HI SHERRY, THAT
REALLY KIND OF DEPENDS ON HOW
INTENSE THE FIRE IS, BUT OFTEN
WE'LL SEE RE-GROWTH STARTING
IN THE FOREST AND THE HABITAT
STARTING TO MEND ITSELF WITHIN
DAYS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE
WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE LIKE
AFTER THE FIRE.
HANSEN: SO HOW DOES, DOES IT
DEPEND ON HOW HOT THE FIRE IS,
DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH DAMAGE IT
DOES?
WIGGINS: YES.
IF IT'S A REAL HOT FIRE IT'LL
TAKE LONGER TO MEND ITSELF.
HANSEN: OKAY.
WIGGINS: AND, AND OFTENTIMES
IF WE GET A RAIN RIGHT
AFTERWARDS THAT, THAT MENDING
WILL OCCUR RAPIDLY.
HANSEN: LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE
IF THIS ONE'S CRYSTAL,
CRYSTAL?
HELLO CRYSTAL?
CRYSTAL: WHAT'S THE WORST FIRE
IN THE IN THE, IN HISTORY?
HANSEN: OKAY IS THIS CRYSTAL?
CRYSTAL: YEAH.
HANSEN: OKAY AND YOU'RE IN
ST. ANTHONY?
CRYSTAL: UH HUH.
HANSEN: OKAY GREAT THANKS FOR
THE QUESTION.
OWENS: WELL PROBABLY THE WORST
FIRE WAS ONE UP IN WISCONSIN
ABOUT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
AND THAT BURNED AN ENTIRE
CITY, A WHOLE TOWN TO THE
GROUND.
IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ABOUT THE
SAME TIME AS THE GREAT CHICAGO
FIRE, BUT IT GOT A LOT LESS
PUBLICITY, BUT IT WAS STILL
VERY DESTRUCTIVE, AND THE
NUMBER OF LIVES THAT WERE LOST
AND THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES,
AND, I FORGET, HOW MANY
THOUSANDS OF ACRES, BUT
SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND
ACRES.
EARDLEY: THERE WERE SEVERAL
LARGE FIRES AROUND THAT SAME
TIME PERIOD.
WE HAD THE LARGE ONE UP IN
NORTHERN IDAHO THAT BURNED
INTO MONTANA.
OVER IN OREGON, THE TILLAMOOK
FIRE, I THINK, OCCURRED RIGHT
AROUND THAT SAME TIME PERIOD.
THAT WERE VERY LARGE, VERY
DEVASTATING FIRES.
HANSEN: MAX ASKS, "WHAT'S THE
FASTEST WAY TO PUT A FIRE
OUT?"
WIGGINS: OH THAT'S A (LAUGHS)
EARDLEY: THAT REALLY DEPENDS A
LOT ON THE NUMBER OF FACTORS
REGARDING THE FIRE, WHERE IT
IS, WHAT TYPE OF FUEL ITS
BURNING IN, AND THAT, AS YOU
SAW IN THE OPENING SEGMENT
HERE, YOU TRY AND REMOVE ONE
OF THOSE THREE ELEMENTS,
WHETHER IT'S THE FUEL OR COOL
IT DOWN WITH SOME WATER TO
REMOVE THE HEAT, AND,
ACTUALLY, ALL OF THOSE ARE
PRETTY RAPID, AND THAT'S WHAT
WE TRY TO DO IMMEDIATELY AT
EACH FIRE.
HANSEN: SO A GOOD SNOW STORM.
EARDLEY: A GOOD SNOW STORM
ALWAYS WORKS.
(LAUGHTS) OR A NICE DOWNPOUR
OF RAIN.
HANSEN: JENNY AND TANNER ASK,
"HOW DO MOST WILDFIRES START?"
OWENS: ON AVERAGE, MOST OF
THEM ARE PROBABLY STILL HUMAN
CAUSED FROM VARIOUS CAUSES.
SO YOU KNOW VARIOUS METHODS,
BUT MOST OF THEM ARE, ARE
STILL HUMAN CAUSED.
NOW, A GREAT NUMBER OF THEM
HERE IN IDAHO AND THE WEST
ARE, ARE LIGHTENING CAUSED,
BUT NATIONWIDE MOST OF THEM
ARE STILL HUMAN CAUSED.
HANSEN: OKAY WELL LET'S.
EARDLEY: I WAS GOING TO ADD
TOO, THE LIGHTENING CAUSED,
EVEN THOUGH THE HUMAN CAUSED
STARTS, THERE'S MORE, A
GREATER NUMBER OF THEM, AND
LIGHTENING FIRES TEND TO BURN
MORE ACRES, JUST BECAUSE THEY
OCCUR IN SUCH REMOTE AREAS,
AND WE TEND TO GET MULTIPLE
FIRES WHEN A LIGHTENING STORM
COMES THROUGH IT CAN IGNITE
MANY FIRES ALL AT ONCE.
AND SO THEY TEND TO, IN SOME
CASES, BURN MORE ACREAGE THAN
THE HUMAN CAUSES.
HANSEN: OKAY.
LET'S TRY JAMES, IS THIS YOU
JAMES?
JAMES: YES.
HANSEN: HI, WHERE ARE YOU
CALLING FROM?
JAMES: PATTERSON ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.
HANSEN: PATTERSON ELEMENTARY,
GREAT, WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?
JAMES: HOW COME LODGE POLES
GIVE OFF THEIR SEEDS WHEN THEY
BURNED?
HANSEN: SO WHY DO LODGE POLE
TREES NEED A FIRE TO, TO GET
THEIR SEEDS RELEASED?
JAMES: YES.
HANSEN: OKAY GOOD QUESTION.
WIGGINS: WELL THE HEAT CAUSES
THE CONE TO OPEN UP AND THEN
THE SEEDS WILL DROP OUT.
IT'S JUST THE WAY NATURE
INTENDED FOR IT TO BE.
HANSEN: SO THAT'S JUST A SIGN
THAT NATURE NEEDS FIRE.
WIGGINS: YES.
HANSEN: FIRES AREN'T ALL BAD.
WIGGINS: YES, YES.
EARDLEY: THAT'S ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT, FIRE IS AS MUCH A PART
OF NATURE AS TREES AND WATER
AND SOME SPECIES LIKE THE
LODGE POLE HAVE ADAPTED TO
THAT AND IT'S JUST ALL IN A
NATURAL CYCLE.
HANSEN: JENNA FROM KERSHAW IN
SUGAR CITY ASKS, "IF SOMEONE
IS SURROUNDED BY A WILDFIRE,
WHAT SHOULD THEY DO?"
EARDLEY: HOPEFULLY YOU WOULD
NEVER FIND YOURSELF SURROUNDED
BY FIRE, AND THAT'S THE NUMBER
ONE THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT
IF THERE'S A FIRE IN THE AREA
THAT YOU LEAVE THAT AREA.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE
CAUGHT IN THERE.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BEYOND
THAT, IF THEY'RE NEAR A RIVER
OR WATER, THEY COULD CERTAINLY
GET IN IT.
AND JUST LIKE IN A HOUSE FIRE,
I WOULD STAY LOW TO THE
GROUND.
WIGGINS: AND IF YOU'RE, AND IF
YOU'RE NEAR YOUR HOME YOU NEED
TO GO INSIDE YOUR HOME AND,
AND SHUT YOUR CURTAINS AND,
AND ALL THE WINDOWS AND MAKE
YOUR HOME AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE
AND STAY IN YOUR HOME.
HANSEN: YOU KNOW IT'S CALLED
THAT URBAN WILD LAND
INTERFACE, PEOPLE CALL ABOUT,
PEOPLE BUILDING THEIR HOMES IN
THE FOREST.
IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A HOUSE
THAT'S IN THE FOREST, WHAT CAN
YOU DO TO HELP REDUCE THE
CHANCE THAT A FIRE, A FOREST
FIRE WILL COME IN AND WIPE OUT
YOUR HOUSE?
OWENS: WELL THERE'S A NUMBER
OF THINGS.
ONE IS LOOKING AT YOUR
BUILDING MATERIALS, ESPECIALLY
THE TYPE OF ROOF THAT YOU
HAVE.
MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FIRE
RESISTANT OR FIRE PROOF.
AND LOOK AT THE LANDSCAPING
AROUND YOUR HOUSE SO THAT YOU
DON'T HAVE SHRUBS, TREES,
GOING UP TO YOUR EAVES OR YOUR
ROOF, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE
FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM YOUR
HOUSE.
LOOK WHERE YOU HAVE THINGS
LIKE YOUR FIREWOOD STORED;
MAKE SURE THAT'S AWAY FROM THE
HOUSE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY
BURNING MATERIAL, ANY FUEL
NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE.
TRY AND KEEP THAT YOUR FUEL
LOAD NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE AS LOW
AS POSSIBLE.
HANSEN: SO HAVING ALL THOSE
SHRUBS AND EVERYTHING ARE
REALLY PRETTY, BUT THEY MAY BE
A FIRE DANGER.
OWENS: YEAH, BUT YOU CAN STILL
HAVE SHRUBS AS LONG AS YOU,
YOU KNOW, KEEP THEM LOW AND
KEEP THEM WELL SPACED, SO THAT
THEY DON'T PROVIDE A PATHWAY
FOR, FOR WILD LAND FIRE TO GET
TO YOUR HOUSE.
HANSEN: LET'S GO TO HANNAH,
YOU'RE CALLING FROM TAFT?
HANNAH: YEAH.
HANSEN: YEAH, WHAT'S YOUR
QUESTION TODAY?
HANNAH: IF THERE'S NO WATER,
IF THERE'S NO WATER AROUND
WHAT DO YOU, WHAT ARE THE
TOOLS THAT YOU USE FOR THE
FIRE?
HANSEN: OKAY, THAT'S A GOOD
QUESTION HANNAH.
EARDLEY: WELL A LOT OF IT IS
WE TRY AND REMOVE THE FUEL IN
THE PATH OF THE FIRE, AND THAT
INVOLVES, IT COULD BE USING
BULLDOZERS TO CREATE A LINE,
OR A LOT OF IT'S DONE JUST BY
HAND WITH SHOVELS AND
PULASKIS.
AND WE ALSO USE AIRCRAFT FROM
THE AIR, AND HELICOPTERS CAN
CARRY WATER TO THE FIRE FROM
SOME DISTANCE AWAY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE LARGE
AIRCRAFT THAT DROP RETARDANT
ON IT AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TOOLS
AVAILABLE TO US.
HANSEN: SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO
GO AHEAD AND IF YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE A FIRE IN THE
BACKCOUNTRY THAT MAY NOT BE
CLOSE TO WATER YOU COULD PUT
SMOKEJUMPERS OUT?
WE'VE GOT SOME VIDEO OF SOME
OF THAT.
EARDLEY: YEAH SMOKEJUMPERS AND
WE'RE USING A LOT MORE THESE
DAYS OF RAPPELLERS TOO, THAT
RAPPEL DOWN A ROPE OUT OF A
HELICOPTER TO GET INTO THOSE
AREAS.
HANSEN: YOU HAVE TO BE PRETTY
BRAVE TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE
AND JUMP OUT INTO THE MIDDLE
OF A FIRE, WHAT'S IT LIKE
BEING A SMOKEJUMPER?
WIGGINS: I CAN'T ANSWER THAT
ONE; I'VE NEVER BEEN A
SMOKEJUMPER.
(LAUGHS)
EARDLEY: I HAVEN'T EITHER.
HANSEN: IT'S SOME PRETTY
DANGEROUS STUFF, BUT PRETTY
IMPORTANT.
EARDLEY: YES.
HANSEN: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO
GET SOME, TO GET PEOPLE THAT
CLOSE INTO THOSE REMOTE PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY?
EARDLEY: WELL THE GOAL IS, FOR
A NUMBER OF YEARS, IS WE SORT
OF HAD A MANDATE TO SUPPRESS
ALL FIRES AS SOON AS WE COULD.
AND FRANKLY, OVER THE LAST
FIFTY YEARS WE GOT VERY GOOD
AT THAT, IN FACT, EVEN TODAY
WE PROBABLY SUPPRESS MORE THAN
NINETY-FIVE PERCENT OF ALL
FIRE STARTS WITHIN THE FIRST
24 HOURS, AND PEOPLE NEVER
HEAR ABOUT THEM ON THE NEWS
BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN SO GOOD
AT PUTTING THEM OUT.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE
HAVE IS WE GET TO THEM QUICKLY
WITH THE TOOLS TO PUT THEM
OUT.
HANSEN: RYAN (INAUDIBLE) SENDS
IN A QUESTION FROM KERSHAW
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL, WHAT WAS
THE LONGEST, OR THE LARGEST, I
BET IT'S LARGEST, WILDFIRE IN
HISTORY?
IS THE 1910 FIRE?
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE LARGE
ONE, BUT THE 1910 IS OBVIOUSLY
IN OUR HISTORY, IDAHO'S
HISTORY, PROBABLY.
EARDLEY YOU KNOW YOU COULD
MAYBE SPEAK NATIONWIDE.
OWENS: I MEAN A LOT OF FIRES
HERE IN THE NORTHWEST, THE
YACOLT FIRE WENT FROM
ESSENTIALLY PORTLAND, WHAT IS
NOW LONGVIEW, WASHINGTON.
AND, AGAIN THE FIRE IN
WISCONSIN WAS VERY LARGE AND
MILLIONS OF ACRES.
PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET THAT IN
THE 1800S THERE WERE A LOT OF
LARGE WILDFIRES IN THE UPPER
MIDWEST WHERE THEY WERE JUST
DEVELOPING THAT PART OF THE
COUNTRY THEN.
SO YOU KNOW WILDFIRES HAPPEN
ACROSS THE NATION.
HANSEN: AND THEY, THEY WOULD
BURN THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
OF ACRES.
OWENS: OH YEAH BECAUSE.
EARDLEY: EVEN AS LATE AS 1992,
HERE IN IDAHO WE HAD THE
FOOTHILLS FIRE THAT OCCURRED,
WELL IT STARTED BETWEEN BOISE
AND MOUNTAIN HOME AND IT
BURNED 253,000, MORE THAN
QUARTER OF A MILLION ACRES.
HANSEN: MARK ASKS FROM
MCKINLEY, "WHAT'S THE HARDEST
FIRE TO PUT OUT?"
IS ONE FIRE WORSE THAN
ANOTHER?
WIGGINS: WELL THE LARGER THEY
GET THE HARDER THEY ARE TO PUT
OUT.
BUT THEY SPOKE ABOUT CROWN
FIRES AN OFTENTIMES WHEN WE
START HAVING A CROWN FIRE
THOSE ARE VERY DIFFICULT FIRES
FOR US TO GET, BECAUSE THEY'RE
IN, IN THE FUELS THAT WE CAN'T
GET TO.
WHERE, AS RANDY REFERRED TO
TAKING THE FUEL AWAY ON THE
GROUND, WHERE WE CAN DO THAT
AND IF THEY'RE ON THE GROUND
THEN WE CAN PUT THOSE OUT.
BUT WHEN THEY GET IN THE
TREES, IT TAKES AWAY A LOT OF
OUR RESOURCE POWER.
EARDLEY: YOU KNOW I, I THINK
TERRAIN IS A FACTOR TOO, IN
THAT IF THEY'RE IN REAL STEEP
MOUNTAINSIDES FOR INSTANCE,
AND ANY, ANY FOREST FIRE WILL
CREATE ITS OWN WEATHER AND ITS
OWN WINDS AND THEY BECOME SORT
OF AN EVENT IN AND OF
THEMSELVES.
AND YOU PLACE THAT ON, IN SOME
REAL RUGGED TERRAIN AND THOSE
ARE TYPICALLY DIFFICULT TO PUT
OUT.
HANSEN: WE SEE HERE SOME
PICTURE OF THE CREWS GOING IN
AND ACTUALLY CLEANING OUT SOME
OF THE, THE TERRAIN AND.
LET'S GO TO BRIANNA IN
EDGEMONT, BRIANNA?
BRIANNA: HELLO?
HANSEN: HI THERE.
BRIANNA: HI.
HANSEN: WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION
TODAY?
BRIANNA: MY QUESTION IS DO ALL
THE ANIMALS IN THE FOREST FIRE
DIE OR DO THEY LIVE?
HANSEN: AND YOU'RE CALLING
FROM IDAHO FALLS?
BRIANNA: YEAH.
HANSEN: OKAY GREAT THANKS.
OWENS: MOST OF THE ANIMALS
SURVIVE WILDFIRES, OR ARE
ADAPTED TO IT.
FIRE IS A NATURAL PART OF THE
ECOSYSTEM AND PART OF NATURE
AND MOST ANIMALS ARE, GREW UP
WITH FIRE AND THEY'RE, MOST
ANIMALS ARE ABLE TO ESCAPE
WILD LAND FIRES.
UNLESS THEY, THE WILD LAND
FIRES ARE MOVING VERY RAPIDLY
OR IF IT'S VERY HEAVY FUELS
WHERE IT'S REALLY HOT AND
THEY'RE PRODUCING A LOT OF
HEAT, MOST ANIMALS TEND TO
ESCAPE.
HANSEN: OKAY, LET'S GO TO
BOBBIE IN STODDARD.
BOBBIE ARE YOU THERE?
BOBBIE: YEAH.
HANSEN: HI, WHERE YOU CALLING
FROM?
BOBBIE: RATHDRUM.
HANSEN: OKAY WHAT'S, WHAT'S
YOUR QUESTION?
BOBBIE: I WANTED TO KNOW IF
THERE'S ELECTRIC CHARGE IN THE
GROUND THAT CAUSES LIGHTENING
TO STRIKE TO CAUSE A FIRE?
HANSEN: OKAY, SO IS IT JUST
THAT TREES ARE TALL AND
THEREFORE THE TALLEST THING IN
THE AREA THAT ATTRACTS THE
LIGHTENING TO START THE FIRE,
WHAT, WHAT GIVES?
EARDLEY: WE NEED A
METEOROLOGIST HERE.
(LAUGHS) BUT IT IS A
DIFFERENCE IN THE ELECTRICAL
FIELD OR ALONG THE GROUND AND
WHAT'S CREATED IN THE CLOUD
THAT DRAWS THEM TOGETHER AND
IT IS TYPICALLY THE TALLEST
STRUCTURES OR, IN THIS CASE,
TREES THAT WOULD BE HIT BY
THAT, THAT STRIKE COMING DOWN.
HANSEN: SO IN A THUNDERSTORM,
GET, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THE
TALLEST THING OUT THERE.
EARDLEY: ABSOLUTELY NOT.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.
(LAUGHS)
HANSEN: ALL RIGHT.
SHEILA IN DRIGGS ELEMENTARY,
SHEILA YOU THERE?
SHEILA: YEAH.
HANSEN: WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION
TODAY?
SHEILA: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE
TO TRAIN A WILDLIFE
FIREFIGHTER?
HANSEN: SO HOW LONG DOES IT,
HOW MUCH TRAINING DO YOU NEED
TO BE A FIREFIGHTER?
SHEILA: YEAH.
HANSEN: OKAY GOOD QUESTION.
EARDLEY: GOOD QUESTION.
WIGGINS: THAT IS.
AND TYPICALLY WE HAVE A SCHOOL
THAT WE GO TO THAT'S FOR, TO
BECOME A BASIC FIREFIGHTER
THAT'S A WEEK LONG.
BUT WE CONTINUE OUR EDUCATION
ALL THE TIME, WE TRAIN AND WE
LEARN NEW THINGS EVERY YEAR.
AND EVERY TIME WE GO OUT ON
THE FIRE WE, WE LEARN.
SO THAT'S A PROCESS THAT NEVER
STOPS.
HANSEN: SO IF YOU WANT TO BE
SOMEONE WHO HELPS LEARN ABOUT
HOW TO PREVENT FIRES AND, DO
YOU NEED TO GO TO COLLEGE?
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD
STUDY?
WIGGINS: COLLEGE IS ALWAYS
GOOD.
(LAUGHS)
EARDLEY: YEAH IT IS AND
THERE'S A NUMBER OF AVENUES
THAT YOU CAN TAKE IN THAT FROM
SCIENCE TO COMPUTERS.
ONE THING THAT THE KIDS MAY
NOT KNOW IS THAT ON EACH OF
THESE BIG FIRES THERE'S ONE
PERSON WHOSE CALLED A FIRE
BEHAVIOR ANALYST, AND HE'S OUT
THERE WITH HIS LAPTOP COMPUTER
AND HE, HE DOES MODELING AND
HE LOOKS AT THINGS LIKE THE
WEATHER AND THE FUEL
CONDITIONS, THE TERRAIN, AND
HE PUTS ALL THAT INFORMATION
TOGETHER IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM
THAT HE HAS AND, AND THEY TRY
AND PREDICT, SAY IN THE
MORNING, WHAT THAT FIRE'S
GOING TO DO IN THE AFTERNOON.
HANSEN: AND SHE.
EARDLEY: AND SHE ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THEY PLAY
ON THE FIRE.
HANSEN: KENNAN ASKS, "WHAT ARE
THE DIFFERENT COLORS IN A
FIRE, THE BLUE, THE YELLOW AND
THE ORANGE?"
IF YOU LOOK AT A FIRE THEY
HAVE, IT'S NOT ALL ONE COLOR,
IT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
COLORS.
OWENS: A LOT OF THE COLOR
DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF FUEL;
THE TEMPERATURE IS A GOOD
INDICATION OF THE COLOR.
THE HOTTER THE FIRE THE, THE
DIFFERENT THE COLOR IS.
REDS AND ORANGES, I FORGET
WHAT TEMPERATURE THOSE ARE AND
THEN YOU GO UP FROM THERE.
AND WILD LAND FIRE, WILD LAND
FIRES CAN BURN ANYWHERE FROM
500-600 DEGREES UP TO SEVERAL
THOUSAND DEGREES.
THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF COLOR
COMBINATIONS.
EVEN, EVEN INTO THE INFRARED
THAT WE CAN'T SEE.
HANSEN: LET'S GO TO PARKER AT
TAFT IN BOISE, PARKER?
PARKER: HI.
HANSEN: HI.
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?
PARKER: WHAT IS THE HOTTEST
FIRE IN DEGREE FAHRENHEIT?
HANSEN: WE JUST SAID THAT'S
GOOD TIME TO SEGUE INTO THAT
QUESTION.
OWENS: AH GOSH I'M TRYING TO
THINK OF YOU KNOW THE
TEMPERATURES THAT PEOPLE WERE,
WERE GIVING ME AT ONE TIME IT
WAS LIKE FIVE, SIX THOUSAND
DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND SO
THOSE ARE VERY HOT.
HANSEN: LET'S SEE JARED FROM
GREENHURST IN NAMPA, DID I SAY
YOUR NAME RIGHT?
JARED: YES.
HANSEN: GOOD, WHAT'S YOUR,
WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?
JARED: WHAT'S A SAFE DISTANCE
TO STAY AWAY FROM A FIRE
WITHOUT GETTING YOUR LUNGS
DAMAGED?
HANSEN: OKAY, HOW FAR AWAY
SHOULD YOU BE FROM A FIRE TO
NOT GET HURT BY THE FIRE?
WIGGINS: WELL ANYTIME YOU SEE
A FIRE, YOU SHOULD GET AWAY AS
FAR AS POSSIBLE; BECAUSE
THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN THE AIR THAT YOU
MAY NOT KNOW, THERE'S HOT
GASSES, AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE
FIRE MAY NOT SEEM CLOSE TO
YOU, THOSE HOT GASSES COULD BE
THERE AND THEY COULD HURT YOUR
LUNGS.
AND THERE'S ALSO SMOKE THAT
YOU DON'T SEE.
SO PROBABLY THE, THE BEST RULE
OF THUMB IS GET AWAY AS FAR AS
YOU CAN.
HANSEN: DILLON IN ST. ANTHONY,
FROM LINCOLN.
DILLON: YEAH.
HANSEN: WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?
DILLON: WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT
STUFF THAT THEY DUMP ON THE
FIRES, LIKE IN THE JETS AND
STUFF.
HANSEN: UH HUH WHAT'S THAT
FIRE RETARDANT MADE OF?
DILLON: YES.
HANSEN: THAT, THAT YOU SEE THE
ORANGE STUFF THAT GETS DUMPED
OUT OF THE PLANES?
DILLON: UH HUH.
HANSEN: GOOD.
EARDLEY: THAT'S ACTUALLY WATER
AND FERTILIZER.
AND THE ONLY REASON THAT IT'S
RED IS SO THAT WE CAN SEE ON
THE GROUND WHERE IT IS, AND I
KNOW SOMETIMES THAT TAKES A
LONG TIME TO BREAKDOWN AND,
AND WE LOOKED AT, FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS, USING THE RETARDANT
THAT WAS CLEAR, THAT DIDN'T
HAVE THE RED IN IT, BUT AS FAR
AS TACTICS AND TRYING TO PUT
THE FIRE OUT IT WAS TOO
DIFFICULT TO SEE ON THE GROUND
WHERE YOU'D PUT IT.
AND, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT
IT IS, IS FERTILIZER AND
WATER.
HANSEN: IN THAT'S THE IDEA
THAT IT REMOVES THE OXYGEN IN
THE FIRE TRIANGLE.
EARDLEY: IT DOES.
HANSEN: IT DUMPS DOWN AND IT
REMOVES THE OXYGEN.
COVERS IT UP?
EARDLEY: IT ACTUALLY, IT
ACTUALLY DOES A COUPLE OF
THINGS, ONE IS IT DOES REMOVE
THE OXYGEN ALONG THAT, BUT WE
ALSO USE IT SOMETIMES TO
PRE-TREAT AN AREA AND WHAT IT
DOES IS COAT, THEY DROP IT
SUCH A DISTANCE AND AS IT
COMES DOWN IT SORT OF SWIRLS
AND IT COATS EVEN UNDER, UNDER
PLANTS TO RETARD THE FIRE ONCE
IT GETS THERE.
HANSEN: OKAY ERICA WROTE IN
AND ASKED, "WHAT HAPPENS TO
PEOPLE WHO START FIRES ON
PURPOSE?"
OWENS: ARSONIST THEY'RE, IF
THEY'RE CAUGHT THEY CAN BE
LIABLE FOR ANY OF THE DAMAGES
THAT THEIR FIRE HAS CAUSED, AS
WELL AS THE CRIMINAL STATUTES
THAT ARE INVOLVED.
EARDLEY: THAT'S RIGHT THEY CAN
GO TO, THEY CAN GO TO JAIL.
HANSEN: HOW LONG DID IT TAKE
TO PUT THE YELLOWSTONE
WILDFIRES OUT?
THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST
FAMOUS IN, IN RECENT HISTORY,
THE FIRES IN YELLOWSTONE.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE THOSE,
BASICALLY, AS I RECALL IT WAS
SNOW THAT BASICALLY PUT THOSE
FIRES OUT.
WIGGINS: YEAH IT WAS IT WAS.
OWENS: YEAH SNOW IN NOVEMBER,
SO THEY STARTED IN JUNE AND
SOME OF THEM BURNED INTO
NOVEMBER.
HANSEN: IS THERE A TIME OF DAY
THAT FIRES BURN BETTER THAN
OTHERS, AND WE'VE GOT SOME
NIGHTTIME FOOTAGE HERE THAT
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S MORE DRAMATIC
THE CONTRAST WITH THE FIRE,
BUT USUALLY DOESN'T FIRES,
THEY DIE DOWN AT NIGHT OR
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE TYPICAL
FIRE DAY LIKE?
EARDLEY: WELL WHAT, AT NIGHT,
ESPECIALLY THE LATER YOU GET
IN THE SEASON, THE
TEMPERATURES DROP MORE AT
NIGHT AND THE HUMIDITY COMES
UP AND HUMIDITY IS A FACTOR
THAT WE LOOK AT IN FIRE
BEHAVIOR TOO AND HOW FIRES
BURN.
TYPICALLY, THEY WILL BE THE
MOST; THEY WILL IGNITE THE
EASIEST AND SPREAD THE MOST
RAPID, LATE AFTERNOON IN MOST
AREAS IN THE COUNTRY.
HANSEN: OKAY.
JOHN IN SKYVIEW, HERE IN
NAMPA.
JOHN: HI.
HANSEN: HI WHAT'S YOUR
QUESTION?
JOHN: I WAS WONDERING DID THEY
USE LIKE MOATS LIKE AROUND A
CASTLE TO DRAW FIRE LINES?
HANSEN: OKAY AS OPPOSED TO A,
LIKE A BULLDOZER?
JOHN: YEAH YOU KNOW THEY FILL
'EM WITH WATER?
HANSEN: OKAY USE A WATER
BREAK?
JOHN: YEAH.
OWENS: GENERALLY NOT, MAINLY
BECAUSE WATER IS SO HARD TO
USUALLY GET TO FIRES.
WATER IS A VERY PRECIOUS
COMMODITY ON FIRES AND IF YOU
CAN BUILD A FIRE BREAK WITH
BULLDOZERS, JUST REMOVING THE
FUELS THAT WAY MOST PEOPLE
WOULD PREFER TO USE THE WATER
DIRECTLY ON THE FIRE ITSELF.
HANSEN: OKAY DEVIN AT EDGEMONT
ELEMENTARY.
DEVIN: HI.
HANSEN: HI.
DEVIN: MY QUESTION IS HAS
THERE EVER BEEN A FIRE THAT
HAS NEVER BEEN STOPPED IN LIKE
TWO OR THREE YEARS?
HANSEN: HAVE WE EVER RUN
ACROSS A FIRE THAT WE COULDN'T
STOP?
EARDLEY: NO, BUT NATURE TENDS
TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT
FIRE IS A PART OF NATURE AND
EVEN THOSE THAT GET SO LARGE
LIKE THE YELLOWSTONE FIRES,
THAT THEY MAY BURN RIGHT INTO
THE WINTER AND IT'S ULTIMATELY
NATURE THAT PUTS THEM OUT IN
THE FORM OF SNOW OR WINTER
RAINS.
HANSEN: WHEN IS A FIRE GOOD?
WIGGINS: WELL FIRE IS FIRE IS
GOOD WHEN IT BURNS AT THE
APPROPRIATE TEMPERATURE.
USUALLY WE TRY AND, AND
CONTROL THE FIRE IN SUCH A WAY
THAT, THAT THE HEAT AND THE
WIND AND, AND ALL THE THINGS
THAT MAKE A FOREST FIRE
DEVASTATING, WE TRY AND DO
THOSE UNDER A CONTROLLED
PERIOD OF TIME.
SO IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WIND
AND THE HEAT MAINLY.
EARDLEY: BUT FIRES ARE GOOD
BECAUSE THEY, THERE ARE SOME
CASES WHERE THEY CAN BE VERY
BENEFICIAL TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
THEY DO REPLENISH SOME
NUTRIENTS IN THE SOIL.
A LOT OF TIMES IN THEIR
NATURAL REGIME, IN OTHER
WORDS, IN AN AREA WHERE A FIRE
NATURALLY WOULD OCCUR, YOU
WOULD FIND PROBABLY HEALTHIER
HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE AND
WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN INTO THIS
WHERE WE, WE SUPPRESSED THEM
ALL BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY
PEOPLE THAT WE NEEDED TO WORRY
ABOUT.
AND ACTUALLY HUMAN, PEOPLE'S
SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY.
HANSEN: ALL RIGHT YOU KNOW AND
WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME.
WE'VE JUST HAD SO MANY GREAT
QUESTIONS.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY
CALLING IN.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR GUESTS,
RANDY EARDLEY, JOHN OWENS AND
NANCY WIGGINS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.
AND, OF COURSE, WE APPRECIATE
YOU JOINING US.
THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
WILDFIRES, YOU CAN FIND THAT
AT THE IDAHO, THE DIALOGUE 4
KIDS WEBSITE AT
IDAHOPTV.ORG/DIALOGUE4KIDS.
SO GO AHEAD AND CHECK OUT THAT
WEBSITE, THERE'S LOTS OF GREAT
LINKS THERE.
EDUCATORS CAN SIGN UP FOR
EMAIL ALERTS ABOUT DIALOGUE 4
KIDS, THEY CAN SEND THAT EMAIL
REQUEST TO
LEARNINGýÿSERVICES@IDPTV.PBS.OR
G.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
YOU CAN JUST GIVE US A CALL
HERE, OR YOU CAN SEND ME AN
EMAIL AND I CAN SEND IT ON.
AND REMEMBER WHEN YOU SEND IN
YOUR QUESTIONS, YOU CAN SIGN
UP FOR OUR, OR YOU'RE
AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED IN OUR
BOOK, FREE BOOK CONTEST AND
WE'LL BE GIVING IT AWAY NEXT
TIME ON DIALOGUE 4 KIDS,
THAT'LL BE ON OCTOBER 9TH.
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT
ELECTRICITY.
SO GO AHEAD AND FAX IN YOUR
QUESTIONS, OR EMAIL THEM, OR
CALL THEM IN, THAT AIRS
OCTOBER 9TH AT 2:00 P.M.
MOUNTAIN, AGAIN 1:00 P.M.
PACIFIC.
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE AND WE'LL SEE YOU HERE
AGAIN NEXT TIME ON DIALOGUE 4
KIDS.
(MUSIC)
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