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WILDFIRE AND YOU |
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An average of 106,400 wildfires break out each year. 4,083,347 acres are consumed. 9 out of 10 are started by people like you. |
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Although most of us have no intention of setting in motion the forces which could destroy hundreds of homes, thousands of lives, and millions of acres of forest, each year we learn of devastating wildfires caused by careless behavior.
As people move out of urban areas to suburban and semirural areas, as our population continues to grow, and as more people set aside time for outdoor leisure activities, our settlement and use of wildlands has also increased. These factors have led to a unique problem, an area known as the wildland-urban interface, or I-Zone, where a significant human presence coexists uneasily with areas of fire-prone forest, brush, and grassland vegetation. But what habits and uninformed decisions are we taking to these environments? Can we be trusted in America's wildlands? Page through the Case Book |
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Some burning facts: |
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Wildfire consumes on average over 4,083,347 acres in the US alone. |
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Wildfire increases as more homes are built in and around forested areas. |
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Friction from improperly adjusted brakes and poorly lubricated bearings can generate enough heat to ignite your car or flammable vegetation. |
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1995 there were 9,974 wildfires caused by lightning and 120,045 wildfires caused by human error. |
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In 2000, 7.5 million acres burned in the U.S. This is an area roughly equal to the size of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Delaware combined.
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Could you have started a wildfire? Examine the Case Book for a closer look at the destructive face of wildfire |
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