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Fire season danger remains

6 min read
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Photo submitted Division of Forestry truck at a recent brush fire.

The recent rains have helped reduce the chance of a wildland fire, but as many people on Pine Island know, it hasn’t stopped them.

The rainy season got off to a late start and this year’s winter was exceptionally cold, killing off a lot of brush which remains dry and brittle. Added to that are the non-native, invasive plants that love fire and lightning contained in the storms and a perfect recipe is there for a massive fire.

“The rain often gives people a false sense of security this time of year,” said Victor Hill, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service, for the Collier, Lee and Hendry counties district. “Pine Island has not received the same levels of rainfall as other areas in our district have received.”

“Pine Island has certainly seen its share of rain, but several areas on the island are still relatively dry,” Hill said, adding that Pine Island isn’t the only place still experiencing wildfires, they are still starting throughout the state.

Collier County, for example, has had more rain and a wildfire burned there on July 20.

But there are things those living on the island can do to not only protect their property until the rains fall enough to wet the dry vegetation, but also preclude a fire from starting.

“The most important thing residents can do is trim dead vegetation away from their homes,” Hill said. “We recommend at least 30 feet of lean, clean and green space around property. You don’t have to clear cut your yard.”

Another thing people can do is plant native, fire-resistant plants.

“The key is to plant less flammable ornamentals around your home and use Florida-friendly trees and other plants around your yard. Florida Forest Service is happy to meet with residents or neighborhood groups and organizations to discuss home assessments so they understand their wildfire risks and what they can do to make their homes safer,” Hill said.

“Lightning is the leading natural cause of wildfires and Florida is the lightning capital of North America,” Hill said. “Lightning accounts for 25 to 30 percent of our calls, while human-caused wildfires — accidental or intentional — account for the rest.

“Another point to make is that residents who live in areas near dense vegetation should take the time to get to know their neighbors, help each other out and work together to create areas of ‘shared defensible space’ around all of their properties,” adding “this cuts down on wildfire risks. We cannot prevent lightning, but we can ensure our homes are free of dry, dead vegetation that may fuel wildfires.”

Jeff Roach, Matlacha-Pine Island Fire Department fire inspector agrees with Hill: Keep a buffer around your home or business.

“It is very important to keep a barrier between your home and the adjacent vacant land,” Roach said. “Here on the island we have mature palmettos which burn very well and can be rather large, some as tall as 6-feet, as well as melaleuca or ‘paper trees’ as some call them and for good reason, their bark is as thin and flammable as paper.

“If you look at the brush fire we experienced about a month ago off of Harbor Drive it really shows the importance of that 30-foot barrier,” Roach said. “There are a couple of homes in that area that very well may not have been saved had they not cleared around their homes as the fire was literally in their yards.”

A lightning-caused fire on Sunday, July 17, burned 50 acres in a Lee County 20/20 Conservation area — filled with melaleuca — but no homes were endangered.

“The second wildfire was caused by the original wildfire, which flared up Wednesday afternoon, July 20,” Hill said. “High winds blew embers across Stringfellow Road into vegetation on the east side. No homes were in the area, but access was difficult so we sent our helicopter out to drop water on the blaze to more quickly extinguish it.”

Florida Forestry Service used two bulldozers and a helicopter to help douse the fires. They had units remain on the scene to mop up the fire or actively fight it. A total of 110 acres burned.

But the 50 acres of preserve land that burned are the ones with melaleuca, a highly non-native, invasive tree that needs fire to help spread its seed.

“Lee County is actively treating the area to eliminate the melaleuca,” Hill said. “They have an aggressive preserve management program that includes management for exotic vegetation.”

Not only does lightning cause wildfires, but human carelessness does also.

“I’m often asked ‘how can a cigarette be such a hazard when thrown out the window, it’s just a small smoldering ash?'” Roach said. “What they don’t realize is that small smoldering ash is then being intensified by the air rushing from cars going by fanning it making it hotter and eventually starting the grass etc on fire. It’s for this reason we preach to not throw them out windows.”

Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested people for “throwing lighted material” on the ground. It’s a misdemeanor in the State of Florida.

Roach explained some of the ways the firefighters attack the fires.

“One thing we do is what is called ‘backfires.’ What we will do is get ahead of where the fire is heading and actually start a small fire using ‘backfire torches which are small cylinders with a line coming out the top which can be (lighted) and pour out the contents of the torch, usually diesel fuel.

“By starting a controlled line of fire in front of an incoming fire it burns off the fuel and creates a fire stop, once the ‘head’ of the fire reaches the burned area it goes out due to lack of fuel,” he said.

If someone sees a plume of smoke, report it immediately as it could be a wildfire in the making.

“I have had people call the fire station and tell me that they saw a flume of smoke but did not want to call 911 because they thought it may be someone burning with a permit or some other ‘non-emergency,'” Roach said.

“I tell everyone, if you see a flume of smoke or any other indication of a possible brush fire, don’t hesitate to call 911.We would much rather respond and find something minor than not be notified until there is a major incident.

Other issues facing wildland firefighters: Access to water.

“When you are fighting a large wildland fire, some as big as 100 acres or more, we find ourselves way off the beaten path so to speak where there are no fire hydrants.

“So water has to be brought into the scene using tanker trucks and supplying the brush trucks,” Roach said. “And not only that but the brush trucks are sometimes covering a large area so it takes a long time for them to even get to the tanker truck.”

For firewise information go to: www.fl-dof.com/wildfire/firewise_your_home.html