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Remains of the Days

© Kathleen M. Brune

As smoke once again settles over the Truckee Meadows valley, let's take a look at wildfires that effect Nevada: the causes, how they are fought, and the results of fires.

Nevermind the suffocating smoke that settles into our valley or the ash that floats down to cover everything in a fine layer, that our children must play indoors or that many of us go for several days trying to shut ourselves up in our homes and offices. We still manage to go to work or school or the grocery store, and otherwise run our regular, daily lives. Even while we remain concerned for those who face the risk of losing their homes, and for those who risk their lives fighting the fire, the fire is still up in the mountains somewhere--not here--so, life goes on.

I'm sure I'm not the only one, driving on Interstate 80 a few weeks after the Martis fires, to be hit for the first time with how truly devastating that wildfire was. Or how close.

The truth is that every year Nevada is just one of the Western states that faces "fire season." While we may hear on the local news broadcasts of just one or two fires going on at any given time, firefighters are called out to fight thousands of fires each year. In the year 2000 alone, 123,000 fires were fought and over eight million acres were consumed by fire, all at a cost to taxpayers of more than $1 billion.

So, how do the fires get started in the first place? Well, from several sources, actually. Probably the worst culprit is lightening. Not much we mere mortals can do about that. Of course, though, other big sources are untended campfires or intentional "burns" that get out of control.

Our best means of fighting fires is with smart fire prevention practices that take into consideration both conservation and fire safety. For example, fire prevention practices of past years were so strict that dense underbrush throughout our forests was allowed to build up to extremes. Good for the wildlife, but bad when a fire burns through. Dense underbrush like this gives a fire plenty of fuel. And makes it terribly difficult for firefighters to get a wildfire under control.

Most of the firefighters sent out to fight wildfires are part of a nationwide network of crews called "Hotshots." These folks are specially trained and equiped to fight under the conditions unique to wildfires.

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