Wildfires are devastating. They don’t just affect the homes of people, but the homes of the wildlife. These fires can destroy miles of beautiful forestry and put lives in danger. It’s important to understand why and how wildfires occur so you can do your part in preventing them. It takes three items to make a wildfire happen. The ignition source needs to come into contact with a combustible material, and to spread, it needs enough heat and oxygen. In cases of wildfire, the ignition source usually comes into contact with some vegetation and that spreads rapidly. The Heat Needed for a Fire Fires need the right temperature to burn and spread. At 450F, wood will release flammable gases, but it’s
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What occurred on the 5th of October 1871 was one of the deadliest fires the US has ever encountered. The Great Peshtigo Fire claimed around 1200 people’s lives and 1.5 acres of pine forest. The nearest town was Peshtigo (hence the name) and it was reported that only one building was left standing after the Peshtigo fire. How did the fire start? As years go, 1871 was an extremely dry one. A drought had completely dried up creeks, other bodies of water and the surrounding trees were also begging for water. These pine trees had shed their needles and these lay on the forest floor. These pine needles along with a lot of sawdust and slash (Peshtigo was a lumbering