Columbia County Emergency Management

Lake City / Columbia County Fire Services

Lake City Fire Department

Wild Fires

FIRE FACTS

• Over the past five years, people have caused almost 75% of all wild land fires -- either through carelessness or intentionally!
• When conditions are dry, the heat from the catalytic converter on your car can cause a fire to start if you park on the shoulder of the road!
• When burning debris, you must have authorization and meet requirements for setbacks and equipment!

ARE YOU FIREWISE?

A FIREWISE home has:

• At least 30 feet of defensible space around structures.This area should be kept free of leaves and debris.It should be kept well mowed and irrigated (within limits of any existing water restrictions.)If you do not have 30 feet, clear what you can.
• Roofs and gutters that are free of leaves, pine needles, twigs and branches.
• Structures that are built with fire resistant materials for roofs, siding and decks.
• Eliminated all combustibles -- wood, propane tanks, gas grills, motor homes, boats, ATVs, cars -- from under or near structures.
• Trimmed all branches up 10 feet and removed all vines climbing trees.
• Used gravel for mulch or kept combustible mulch products moist.
• Installed spark arresters on the chimney.
• Used FIREWISE plants for landscaping and kept highly flammable plants such as Palmetto away from structures.
• A driveway at least 12 feet wide.

WHEN FIRE THREATENS

Evacuate immediately if requested!Follow all directions given by emergency personnel.If time allows:

1. Close all windows and doors.
2. Close heavy drapes, blinds or hurricane shelters.
3. Remove lightweight curtains.
4. Move flammable furniture away from windows and glass doors.
5. Back the car into the garage.
6. Disconnect the automatic garage door opener.
7. Turn off fuel supplies at the connection.
8. Connect a garden hose with a nozzle to an outside tap.

Keetch-Byram Drought Index

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is a mathematical system for relating current and recent weather conditions to potential or expected fire behavior.This system is based primarily on recent rainfall patterns.The result of this system is a drought index number ranging from 0 - 800 that accurately describes teh amount of moisture that is missing.0 = no moisture defficiency and 800 = maximum drought possible.

EXPECTED FIRE CONDITIONS AND SUPPRESSION PROBLEMS WITH VARYING KBDI LEVELS:

0 - 200:Low Fire Danger -- Soil and fuel moisture are high.Most fuels will not readily ignite or burn.However, with sufficient sunlight and wind, cured grasses and some light surface fuels will burn in spots and patches.

200 - 400: Moderate Fire Danger -- Fires more readily burn and will carry across an area with no "gaps".Heavier fuels will still not readily ignite and burn.Also, expect smoldering and the resulting smoke to carry into and possibly through the night.

600 - 800: Extreme Fire Danger -- Surface litter and most of organic layer is consumed.1,000 hour fuels contribute to intensity.Stumps will burn to the end of roots underground.Any dead snag will ignite.Spotting from snags is a major problem if close to line.Expect dead limbs on trees to ignite from sparks.Expect extreme intensity on all fires, which makes control efforts difficult.With winds above 10 miles per hour, spotting is the rule.Expect increased need for resources for fire suppression.Direct initial attack is almost impossible.Only rapid response time to wildfire with complete mop-up and patrol will prevent a major fire situation from developing.

BE PREPARED!!

• Have an evacuation plan
• Make sure everyone knows the plan.
• Have all your evacuation needs (papers, medications, etc.) together.
• Don't forget to plan for your pets.

Candle Safety Tips

Candles may be pretty to look at but they are a growing cause of home fires -- and home fire deaths.Remember, a candle is an open flame, meaning that it can easily ignite any combustible material nearby.And because candle fires spread so quickly, it's essential that you have working smoke alarms in your residence and a home fire escape plan ready to go.Follow these tips to help you use candles safely.

Smoke alarm installation and testing

Because fire can grow and spread so quickly, having working smoke alarms in your home can mean the difference between life and death.But these life-saving devices are only effective when they're working properly.Smoke alarms with batteries that are dead, disconnected, or missing can't alert you to the dangers of smoke and fire.Follow these tips to ensure that your smoke alarms are installed correctly and tested regularly.

Once the alarm sounds, you may have as few as two minutes to escape.By learning how to effectively use the smoke alarm's early warning to get out safely, you'll reduce your risk of dying in a home fire.