Utah Fire Info.gov

Utah Living With Fire
- A Guide for the Homeowner
Take action to improve the survivability of your home before a wildfire occurs. Pre-fire activities include proper vegetation management and the use of fire resistant building materials. The UtahFireInfo.gov "Living with Fire" site provides tips on how to increase the chances of your home surviving a wildfire.

Introduction
Fire Environment
Examples of Local Fire Behavior
FAQs about Defensible Space
Creating an Effective Defensible Space
Firescape: Fire Safe Landscape Design
Other considerations in Making Your Home Defensible
When Wildfire Approaches

- EXAMPLES OF LOCAL FIRE BEHAVIOR -

FUEL TYPE	TRAVEL RATE	FLAME LENGTH	SIZE OF FIRE AFTER 1 HOUR	DEFINITION OF FUEL
Cheatgrass	4 1/2 MPH	8 feet	3000 acres	Invasive annual grass that usually occupies areas formerly vegetated with big sagebrush.
Bitterbrush	8 1/2 MPH	55 feet	5900 acres	This is a heavy brush type consisting of large big sagebrush, bitterbrush, and sometimes Mountain Mahogany. Usually there are large amounts of dead woody material present.
Pine Forest	1 1/2 MPH	10 feet	150 acres	Consists of Jeffrey and/or Ponderosa pine, often with some White fir and other coniferous trees included in the mix.
Big Sagebrush	6 1/2 MPH	22 feet	3400 acres	Big sagebrush is the dominant shrub with an understory of Cheatgrass, Bunch grass, and wildflowers.
Pinyon-Juniper	3 MPH	16 feet	830 acres	Pinyon pine and Utah juniper mixed with shrubs characterize this vegetation type.

FLAME LENGTH	EFFECTIVE FIRE SUPPRESSION TACTICS
Less than 4 feet	Fireline constructed with hand tools, such as shovels and axes can be effective at the front of the fire.
4 to 8 feet	Bulldozers and other heavy equipment will be needed to construct an effective fireline. Where bulldozers are not available, fire engines with hoses and water will be required to "knock down" the flames before the fire crews with hand tools can be effective, or fire crews must construct a fireline at a considerable distance from the fire
8 to 11 feet	Air tankers with fire suppressing retardant or helicopters with water are required to reduce the fire's rate of spread before fireline construction by crews or bulldozers can be effective.
Greater than 11 feet	Direct suppression efforts will be ineffective. Retreat to existing roads, streams, and other barriers. Burn out fuels between the fireline and the advancing fire front.

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