In Robert Mutch's article Firefighter safety: Just leave the line, he argues the point that firefighters are still staying on the line past the point where it is safe to do so. Why? Because it's often assumed firefighters are there to put the fire out or save the home from burning.
I remember this happening to me on the Radio Fire, when the City of Flagstaff was threatened.
Although we were told in training that no tree is worth a life, we still tried to save the trees at any and all costs. Plus, wildland firefighters have no training in fighting structure fires. With more homes built closer to formerly wild areas, they are often called upon to protect homes.Someone needs to draw the line, or change the training.
1 comment:
Do they train hard to teach -- leave the fire if it is unsafe? Or just say, "A tree is not worth a life."
Sometimes, I feel that houses built in the wilderness should be left to burn with the trees. Too many lives are risked trying to save a home built with at risk conditions. (ie a stack of firewood piled against the house, or a tree right next to the house - inches away.)
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