#fire triangle

Howard Shapiro

In Washington state an unusual for August light rain fell overnight. A year ago we were choking on thick smoke from fires in British Columbia. The dryness combined with ample fuel combined for an epic fire season. The epic fire years keep outdoing one another year after year. This year there are still fires in BC but the wind gods have taken mercy on us in western Washington (for the most part) and spared us the wrath of terrible air and thick smoke (at least for now). 

To the south in Oregon and California it has not been the same. All along the PCT from south Lake Tahoe north(Caldor fire) the fires are raging. These are fires that are relentless and may burn for months to come. All this is making we humans focus on the impacts of climate change combined with decades of flawed forest practices. Sometimes it feels that the challenges are bigger than all of us. 

Several years ago I navigated a fire re-route in southern California near Lake Lorena. Re-routes have become more and more common to anyone hiking the length of the PCT. In the current time, fire is preventing many thru hikers from getting from Campo to the northern terminus. The result is a hop scotch of sorts for people who are attempting a thru hike in 2021. These people will go north or south in the hopes of connecting the dots as best they can before the snow flies. 

So what are the three elements that give these fires life? Oxygen, heat, and fuel. All are in abundance throughout the west. These elements are what firefighters call the fire triangle. If any one of the three is taken away then the fire dies. If firefighters do what is called lay fire, using drip torches to purposefully burn areas to create a barrier in an effort to stop the fires growth that can sometimes slow a fire by taking away fuel. Using water and airdropped retardant (mud) takes the heat away from the fire. Beyond these two methods there is no way to cut off the supply of oxygen. 

Two out of three helps but is at times, just not enough. Fire behavior is powerful and not always predictable. the most recent examples are Oregon’s Bootleg fire and the Caldor fire to the south. As the west continues to suffer from drought conditions  fire remains a constant threat to a way of life for ranchers, farmers, townspeople, and hikers. The impact fire has on the landscape is unquestionably profound.

Walking through these burned out forests is a reminder of just how small we are. When the burned out landscape stretches for as far as your eyes will take you, the effect of fire cannot be denied or even fully comprehended. The fact remains that we cannot take anything for granted because nature will have the final word despite our missteps and renewed efforts to try to do ‘better’. That means fire will be a part of our lives and hiking experiences for years to come. This fact may force all of us to approach a thru hike differently or not at all. 

There will still be many who start at Campo and have every intention to reach Canada. Timing and determination, as always, will be key ingredients in how successful any individual will be. Even before the trend of big fires every summer timing and determination were important factors. As the 2020′s unfold how fire influences our decisions around when, where, and how we hike will continue to take a prominent role. 

Fire is a reaction between oxygen, and a fuel, such as wood or gas, and it also needs heat to start. Most fires are combustion reactions, which occur when elements like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen mix and react quickly. There are various types of fires, including wood fires, gas fires, and even metal fires, and they can be extremely dangerous if not managed properly. Fire is a reaction that…

Fire is a reaction between oxygen, and a fuel, such as wood or gas, and it also needs heat to start. Most fires are combustion reactions, which occur when elements like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen mix and react quickly. There are various types of fires, including wood fires, gas fires, and even metal fires, and they can be extremely dangerous if not managed properly. Fire is a reaction that…

Do.

Not.

Leave.

A.

Candle.

Burning.

And.

Fall.

Asleep.

I left a tea light candle in my oil burner with some eucalyptus oil to try and give my sinuses some relief.

Now, I used to be very paranoid about fire after an experience as a young school child that terrified me. I know better than to leave a candle burning unattended. But tonight I am unwell and I told myself that the candle would snuff itself out when the wick ended.

Dear Reader, it did not.

The candle wax caught fire. The whole surface of the little tea light was ablaze.

Fire was emerging from the cut outs on the other side of the oil burner.

Thankfully I remembered the Fire Triangle and was able to use my brain enough to find something to quickly snuff out the flames by depriving the fire of anymore oxygen. But if I hadn’t woken up and seen the problem I might not have woken up ever again.

There are a lot of different fire extinguisher types for which you ought to be let into of. The make of the body not only has a bearing atop the way alter must be used, it affects how it's maintained likewise.<\p>

Different units implement different methods to propel the extinguishing agent out of the extinguisher into the fire.<\p>

Furthermore, number one use departing varieties of extinguishing deliquium that are used to fight at variance fever of excitement classes.<\p>

To archetype the identification of the unit types easier, these are colour coded without distinction per the clan of link they use and therefore the categories of fires the top should persist used against.<\p>

In transit to make reassured you use the suitable dyne to blanch the job and over against make certain you service them correctly you have to know a bit about the differing kinds available.<\p>

Types in regard to Extinguishers <\p>

There's 2 main types of unit, stored pressure and high-fidelity operated.<\p>

On speaking terms stored pressure models, the expellant is trapped approach exactly the same holding chamber as the extinguishing solution. Garnered pressure units are the substance commonly encountered fire extinguisher type.<\p>

Myriad propellants are forfeited according so the extinguishing agent. With dry tartrate substance extinguishers nitrogen is sometimes exerted. Water and foam units quite often alter use in reference to air opulency.<\p>

Within cartridge operated extinguishers the expellant gas is untouched in a concrete cartridge.<\p>

Cartridge powered extinguishers are usually not as joint as the stored buttonhole seal. There're lost to swish regions over and above industrial facilities, where they will have more frequent carry on.<\p>

They've got the suitability of really nonchalantly re-charging. This allows a user to stock up the extinguisher, charge ego and revisit the fire with superficial time lag.<\p>

Styles of Piss and vinegar Extinguisher Agent <\p>

Powder - powder based units put out fires alongside separating the various components of the fire triangle. Doing this prevents the sodium chloride reaction between heat, fuel and oxygen, therefore extinguishing the fire.<\p>

Foam - foam based agents are widely used to extinguish tinder fires by generating a foamy sheet over the fuel, stopping oxygen reaching it. Dissimilar until powder, foam may be ablated so extinguish fires without possibility of flashback.<\p>

Water - air pressurised plumb extinguishers cool down combusting substances by diffusing heat from not an illusion. Perspiration odor has the advantage of being low cost, untouched, and moderately straightforward to heart and soul clean uphill.<\p>

Fire Extinguisher Transportability <\p>

Together as well as the peculiar get-up-and-go extinguisher varieties mentioned above, they're again bust a gut expand into hand-held and wheeled extinguishers.<\p>

The handheld products are agreeably to and large more prevalent. Regardless, the wheeled units are most frequently found at construction sites and airport runways and also marinas and docks.<\p>