REDDING, Calif. July 7, 2008 - Northern California firefighters are bracing for extremely hot and dry weather forecast to arrive this week. Temperatures are forecast to exceed 100 degrees in many parts of Northern California.
"The potential for wildfire to spread increases significantly as temperatures rise and humidity falls," said Tom Johnston, safety officer with the National Incident Management Organization currently supporting the Northern Operations Center in Redding. "And weather this extreme is just plain tough on firefighters."
Many of the more than 14,000 personnel working fires in Northern California come from other areas of the country and may not be used to such extreme conditions.
"We have safety officers on every fire, and they make a point to educate firefighters and emphasize the challenges of fighting fire in these conditions," Johnston said.
One point the safety officers emphasize is how quickly fire behavior can change in these conditions, especially if wind increases or changes direction. A fire that seems quiet can erupt and make a major run with little warning.
Firefighters must remain alert, but staying alert and safe while working in hot, dry weather for many hours and days can be especially challenging because the potential for fatigue and dehydration significantly increases.
"Dehydration is a major risk in these conditions, so it's a common topic in our daily safety briefings to firefighters," Johnston said.
Dehydration is one of the most common injuries that pull firefighters from the line in hot conditions. Dehydration can affect cardiac function, cause muscle cramps, and slow metabolism. It can also cause other dysfunctions including impaired mental ability and decision-making. More severe cases can result in heat stroke or extreme electrolyte imbalance leading to death.
Pallets of bottled water and sports drinks are a common sight in fire camps. Wildland firefighters need about a quart of fluids for every hour of work. That's up to four gallons per firefighters per day. Generally, one bottle of sports drink for every three bottles of water is recommended.
"But we definitely avoid caffeinated, carbonated and diet drinks - they can just make dehydration worse," Johnston said.
Avoiding heat-related problems like dehydration actually begins well before fire season, through training and physical conditioning.
"Heat-illness prevention was a central theme of CAL FIRE's annual ‘Focus on Safety' program this year," said Chief Jeff Jones, CAL FIRE's Training and Safety Chief in Northern California. "We stressed the importance of frequent breaks, fluid intake, and access to shade to allow cool-down periods."
Physical conditioning is a central component of wildland firefighting programs and plays a big role in preventing heat problems. Most firefighters and crews engage in daily physical conditioning programs to maintain the physical fitness required for the job.
Agencies also work to keep their employees aware of changing conditions in the field by issuing critical safety advisories to all employees when extreme fire conditions, emerging safety concerns or fire activity warrant.
"Conditions can change in a hurry, and we want to make sure everybody gets the word," Jones said.
By submitting a comment you consent to our rules. Please use your real first and last name, not a nickname or alias. Thank you.
