Natural fires

Natural fires are divided into forest, peat and grass. Their occurrence is most likely in fire-dangerous season (late dry, hot spring, summer, autumn).

Weak fires have speed up to 1 m/min, flame height ≤0.5 m; medium fires - 1-3 m/min, flame height 0.5-1.5 m; strong ones - ≥ 3 m/min, flame height ≥ 1.5 m.

Forest fires are crown and ground. Ground fire is forest fire spreading through the lower tiers of forest vegetation, forest litter. Crown fire is forest fire covering forest canopy.

Peat fires are characterized by flameless burning of peat with the accumulation of a large amount of heat. By the speed of spreading they are inferior to forest fires. Even strong peat fires have speed about 0.5 m/min.

Grass fires occur both for natural reasons (lightning), and when burning dry past year grass or stubble left after harvesting cereals.

Consequences of natural fires:

> Destruction of forest resources

> Air pollution

> Destruction of the fauna and its habitat

> Disruption of water protection and environmental protection properties of forests

> Destruction of populated areas, farmland, power lines, pipeline transport

> Disruption of economic activity.

Prevention of forest and peat fires includes:

1. Assessment and forecast of fire hazard;

2. Fire reconnaissance (type, characteristics, directions, possible natural barriers to spread, places increasing fire - coniferous young stock, timber warehouses, etc.);

3. Fire fighting which includes:

3.1 Stop - stop burning flames on the edge.

3.2 Localization - additional processing of the edge, excluding the possibility of combustion renewal and spread.

3.3 Quenching - elimination of foci within fire.

3.4 Watching - preventing the possibility of fire from undetected fires (continuous or periodic control of fire perimeter).

Answer these questions:

1. Give the definition of emergency of nature character.

2. To which group of natural emergencies does the storm belong?

3. List hydrological hazards.

4. What should you do during the earthquake, if you are indoors?

5. What should you do before the evacuation in case of a flood threat?

6. What are the consequences of natural fire?