Tennessee Wildfire Prevention References Section
FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ's):

What are the three leading causes of wildfires in Tennessee?
1. Arson
2. Escaped debris fires
3. Equipment use

How many wildfires burn in Tennessee each year?
In 2001, during one of the worst fire seasons in several years, the Division of Forestry suppressed 2,739 wildfires that burned 68,141 acres. 67 residences were lost, 1,400 residences were threatened or saved. One Division of Forestry firefighter was killed. During the past 10 years, an average of 2,600 fires have burned 37,000 acres in Tennessee.

How does the Division of Forestry fight wildfires?
The Division of Forestry maintains a network of fire fighting personnel and equipment ready to respond to wildfires across Tennessee. In mountainous East Tennessee, crews fight fire using hand tools, such as fire rakes, shovels, and the Pulaski (an combination of an axe and mattock). In Middle and West Tennessee, bulldozers can often construct firebreaks, plowed lines two to ten feet down to mineral soil to prevent the fire from spreading. Where wildfires are accessible by roads or fields, water is sprayed on fires from engines. On larger, more difficult to control wildfires, helicopters equipped with buckets are used to drop water directly on the fire. Air tankers that use retardants to slow the spread of the fire are also used.

When is Tennessee’s fire season?
Because of the variations in weather, wildland fires can occur any time during the year. However, Tennessee typically has a spring and fall fire season. The spring fire season, prompted by warming weather, begins about February 15 and ends near May 15th, when the forest has usually "greened up" enough to prevent the rapid spread of forest fires. Fall fire season begins around October 15, when the leaves begin to fall, and usually ends December 15th due to shorter, cooler, wetter days.

How do I report a wildfire?
Call the emergency number for the Division of Forestry listed in the front of your telephone book or call 911.

What are the laws concerning wildfires in Tennessee?
From October 15 through May 15, anyone starting an open-air fire within 500 feet of a forest, grassland, or woodland must by law secure a burning permit from the Division of Forestry. Permits are not required for burning in closed containers, such as a metal barrel with a mesh screen cover. Anyone needing to burn within an incorporated city should contact city authorities about any local burning ordinances.

How do I become a firefighter?
People interested in a job as a wildland firefighter must apply to the agency they are interested in working for. Each agency (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Forestry, etc.) has its own process for hiring employees. You may want to consider applying to more than one agency.
Many agencies also hire a fair number of employees on a seasonal basis (generally from March to November).

What is fire's natural role in Tennessee’s ecosystems?
More than 100 years of excluding fire, combined with past land-use practices, have altered Tennessee’s landscape. This has resulted in changes such as a heavy buildup of dead vegetation, dense stands of trees, a shift to species that are not adapted to fire, and, occasionally, even an increase in non-native fire-prone plants. Because of these conditions, today's fires tend to be larger, burn hotter, and spread farther and faster, making them more severe, more dangerous, and more costly in human, economic, and ecologic terms.

What is a "prescribed" fire?
A prescribed fire is any fire intentionally ignited to meet specific land management objectives (i.e., to reduce flammable fuels, such as the accumulation of brush, logs, etc. on forest floors; or to help restore ecosystem health). Prescribed fires are preplanned ignitions, with predetermined boundaries. They are conducted only under certain weather conditions (i.e., during periods of low wind) when flame length and heat can be controlled. Benefits from the use of prescribed fire include:

1. Fuel reduction for fire protection
2. Site preparation for new trees
3. Improvement of wildlife habitat
4. Improved range conditions for livestock
5. Maintenance and restoration of desired plant and animal communities

What is the relationship between fire and air quality?
Wildland fires occur naturally and are one of the many natural sources of particulate matter (tiny particles such as dust, soot, etc.) Particulate matter is the main pollutant of concern from smoke because it can cause serious health problems. Smoke can also adversely affect the clarity (visual range) of our air. Wildland fire is also part of the natural ecological process of many ecosystems. Without wildland fires the ecological health of many forests, rangelands and wilderness areas will decline.

How does wildfire affect wildlife?
Tennessee’s wildlife has become adapted to live with occasional wildfires over the years. Usually, animals can move out of the way of a slow-moving fire (such as a prescribed or controlled fire). In fact, prescribed fire is often used to improve the quality and quantity of wildlife habitat. A mosaic of burned and unburned areas tends to maximize edge effect that produces a large and varied wildlife population. Wildlife benefits from burning include: stimulation of fruit and seed production; increases in yield and quality of herbage, legumes and browse from hardwood sprouts; and creations of openings for feeding, dusting and travel.

How does the Division of Forestry protect homes from wildfires?
Division employees work in tandem with the state’s municipal and volunteer fire departments to protect forest resources as well as the homes and other structures in the path of wildfire. As growth has occurred in Tennessee’s rural and wildland areas, difficulty for fighting wildfires in these communities has increased significantly. Risks to homes, property, and human safety are rapidly becoming a major focal point for homeowners, firefighters, and policy makers.

What is the wildland urban interface?
Areas where homes meet the wildlands are called the wildland/urban interface. Flammable forest fuels often surround homes located in the woods.
Following a few safety tips can minimize the threat to homes:

1. Have at least 30 feet of defensible space surrounding your home. This will reduce the wildfire threat to your home by changing the characteristics of the surrounding vegetation. Defensible space also allows firefighters room to put out fires.

2. Build with fire-resistant exterior construction materials, such as cement, brick, plaster, stucco and concrete masonry. Double pane glass windows can make a home more resistant to wildfire heat and flames. Roofs should be Class A.

3. Use landscaping materials and design to also create defensible space. Remove flammable plants that contain resins, oils and waxes that burn readily. Large, leafy hardwood trees should be pruned so that the lowest branches are at least 6 to 10 ft high to prevent a fire on the ground from spreading up to the tree tops.

4. Identify your home and neighborhood with legible and clearly marked street names and numbers so emergency vehicles can rapidly find the location of the emergency. Include a driveway that is at least 12 feet wide with a vertical clearance of 15 feet – to provide access to emergency apparatus. In addition, have a disaster plan for your family outlining actions to take in an emergency.

When is fire prevention week and why was it designated?
The history of Fire Prevention Week has its roots in the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8 but continued into and did most damage on October 9, 1871. In just 27 hours, this tragic conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres.

While the Great Chicago Fire was the best-known blaze to erupt during this fiery two-day stretch, it wasn't the biggest. That distinction goes to the Peshtigo Fire, the most devastating forest fire in American history. The fire roared through Northeast Wisconsin, burning down 16 towns, killing 1200 people, and scorching 1.2 million acres before it was done.

Historical accounts of the fire say that the blaze began when several railroad workers clearing land for tracks unintentionally started a brush fire. Before long, the fast-moving flames were whipping through the area "like a tornado," survivors said. It was the small town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin that suffered the worst damage. Within an hour, the entire town had been destroyed, and some 800 residents lost their lives.

In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation, and since 1922, National Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday-through-Saturday period in which October 9 falls. In addition, the President of the United States has signed a proclamation pronouncing a national observance during that week every year since 1925. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has officially sponsored Fire Prevention Week since the observance was first established.

 

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