Why we should suppress forest fires

1
Why we should suppress forest fires

• The single overriding priority is the protection
  of human life, both that of our firefighters and
  of the public
• -USDA Forest Service April 18, 2005-

2
Why we should suppress forest fires.

• Why waste a valuable natural resource
• Trees take on the average 100 years to recover
  after a forest fire
• All the property damage to homes and structures
• 1 life lost is too many

3
Why waste a precious resource?

• The United States alone uses 187 billion lbs of
  paper product alone. That amounts to roughly 749
  lbs of paper each year per person.
• These numbers dont reflect the wood used for
  construction of homes, buildings, furniture, etc.
• Use it or lose it.
• Most importantly, trees have a recovery time of
  approximately 100 years. (Ehleringer notes)

4
1 life lost is too many

• According to the website _at_ www.nifc.gov/faq.html,
  before fire suppression, thousands of lives and
  structures were lost.

5

• Peshtigo Oct. 1871 Wisconsin and Michigan
  3,780,000 acres lost, 1500 killed (WI)
  Undetermined (MI)
• More recently since fire suppression and
  prescribed burns initiated
• In Oct. 1991 in the Oakland hills area near
  Berkeley 1,500 acres burned, 2,900 homes
  destroyed, 25 people killed, and 150 people
  injured. All because a small fire ignited and
  caused a massive fire storm.
• In South Canyon Storm King Colorado in July 1994,
  14 fire jumpers were killed during a prescribed
  fire that got out of control.

6
Should we let this happen?
http//www.infoplease.com/spot/forestfire1
7
Who wants BBQ Deer?

• This is another reason to stop fires. Protect
  animals endangered or not endangered.

http//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b
8/Deerfire.jpg/399px-Deerfire.jpg
8
Who is responsible for fires?

• 72 of fires are caused by humans, should we burn
  baby burn?

www.mpci.org
9
Should we really play with matches

• Do you want to tell a family youre sorry that
  their home, all of their precious belongings, and
  possibly a loved one was lost because of
  something that couldve been prevented?