A firefighter moves into position to fight a fire in Tahoe National Forest
What does it take to fight a fire? How does this years outbreak compare with past years? TIME.com contacted the National Interagency Fire Center, the place where fire directors from federal wildland agencies come together to coordinate fire fighting efforts and implement fire policy. Sue Tholen, a fire information officer at NIFC and a former firefighter, talks about this fires — and what it takes to fight the really big blazes:
TIME.com: I think a lot of people remember last years fires as being particularly bad. How does the outbreak this year compare?
Sue Tholen: Well, right now were looking at 42 active, large (over 100 acres) fires, and 500,000 actively burning acres. The yearly average is 59,000, and weve had 55,000 so far this year. So were pretty much on track to meet the average. By this time last year, on the other hand, thered been 67,083 fires burning 4,970,120 acres. Well over the average, in other words.
Is there anything particularly noteworthy about this years fires?
We are in a drought, so conditions are very dry. But in comparison to last year, the fires just arent as intense. News-wise, its just the story of the saga continuing. Last year we had a lot of evacuation orders, towns and structures threatened, this year not so many. Thats not, of course, a measure of how scary and stressful it is to the residents of town that may be less directly threatened this year.
Is there anything the average citizen can do to prevent fires?
Well, yes. Its important that people only have campfires in designated fire rings, and putting out those fires. Smokers should also be conscious of where their cigarettes or cigars are going. Just be aware of your surroundings.
How did these fires start? Are they caused primarily by weather conditions, or are these controlled burns?
This year, none of them are from controlled burns. We usually do the burns in the spring and fall, not the summer when the risk for new fires is so great. We dont have records for what caused this years fires, but as a general rule, 60 percent are caused by weather, like lightning, and 40 percent are caused by people.
Are there situations when a fire should be left to burn?
Thats a point of dispute. Some people feel that in wilderness areas, fires should be left to burn, because fire is a natural and necessary occurrence. And others feel fires should be fully contained. So there are two schools of thought. More often than not, that decision is left to localities. Its only when the fire gets out of control that we get called in.
As far as the land management agencies are concerned, the fires were seeing now need to be contained, especially because these dry conditions and past fire suppression makes these fires bigger and flame out of control.
Can you tell us a bit about your experience as a firefighter?
When I was much younger, I fought fires in the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, and a few other states.
Its very hard, very physical labor.
I can remember my first fire, there was a tree burning outside the fire line, and conditions were very steep, and everyone was worried the tree would start a new fire. So people on my crew stood there as the tree burned and hauled the chunks of burning wood back inside the fire line.
When you first get to a fire you do an initial attack when you work hard and fast without stopping. Then, once a base camp has been established, you move into the 12-hour shifts, and get into more of a routine.
Can you describe the training firefighters go through?
Basically everyone starts out with the same amount of training: 40 hours of classroom work on safety and fire behavior, then physical training. Everyone also takes a Work Capacity Test, or PACK Test, which measures your ability to walk up steep slopes and carry heavy equipment. Youll take a different test depending on the level of fire fighting you want to do. The hardest level, for example, is a 3-mile hike with 45-pound pack in 45 minutes. The key is you cant run or jog, you have to walk.
What about the different subsets of firefighters, the specialists like smoke jumpers. What training do they go through?
The smoke jumpers, who essentially jump into fires from aircraft, have separate training. They have much more experience and a higher level of training that includes jumping out of planes. They have to be extremely fit and conditioned.
The other subset is called the Hot Shots. They have more experience than the average firefighter, and they travel as a crew.
Whos fighting the western fires now, primarily volunteers?
Well, Im sure if your home is threatened, youre out there volunteering. Beyond that, though, its all paid work. We actually hire people to be on our fire crews. We also have contract crews where people continue to work at their regular jobs, but we can hire them to fight fires if we need to.
When youre sent to a crew, youre sent for 14 days. You stay in a base camp, and sleep in a tent if youre lucky. A shift is a 12-hour day, with breaks for lunch and water.
What kind of gear does someone take into fires like these?
Definitely extra socks. And then you have your standard equipment: Boots, leather gloves that really fit you. Your own water bottle. Youre issued fire-resistant pants, shirts, tools and helmet.
A lot of people wear neckerchiefs good because you can put it over your head or over your mouth in smoke.
What are the firefighters using against these fires?
The ground crews are using a couple of things. First, theyre building fire lines — clearing the way to look like a trail. Theyre also using backpack pumps. Two people work with one pump to moisten the ground and put out any hotspots. And for structure protection, theyll use fire trucks with flame-resistant foam.
Aircrews are using flame retardant, which is that stuff youll see dropped from planes. They lay a line of that down, and crews will build fire lines off it.
At what point is a fire considered "under control?"
A fire is contained when theres a fire line completely surrounding it. A fire is under control when its out, cold to the touch.
Thanks to Nancy Lull at the National Interagency Fire Center