Fires

[GrannyG]

Nothing can prepare you for a firestorm...I have shed a lot of tears today as I remember the day we lost our town...thank God we had a hand dug well..I could haul up buckets of water to put on the burning embers that fell on our place and our neighbors.

 

[Weedygarden]

I agree. Nothing can prepare you for a firestorm.

There have been a number of fires in Colorado, and I have known people whose homes were in the path of some of them. One family left in their RV, and they were gone for a few days, waiting for the fire to be out in their area.

In one of the big fires a few years ago, there were two homes which survived due to homeowners forethought. One man built his home of fireproof material. Another man had prepared for a fire, with a foam to be activated to cover his home at the time as the fire hit.

One of the things that is difficult is that many people are on water systems and they cannot all use it at once.

Forethought and preparedness is probably one way to survive a fire. I know that fires need oxygen to burn. I have often wondered if you could survive in a fire if you were in a fireproof home or building, and the fire was using all the oxygen?

 

[SheepDog]

When I built my garage and shop I planned the construction to make them as fire resistant as possible. I used 2x6 construction, full fiberglass insulation, an OSB panel inside and out. The outside wall is covered in fireproof concrete board sheathing and the inside sheathing is covered in drywall. The walls are rated for 1.5 hours before the drywall and concrete board which almost double the resistance. I cleared all the trees and brush from around the home for over the 100 foot minimum for prevention. The roof is treated fiberglass with 3/4 inch sheathing under it. There is insulation (R-60) in the ceiling so the heat won't penetrate into either building.

As far as riding out a fire inside goes that is not something I would want to do but you would have breathable air even if the fire surrounded you.

 

[The Lazy L]

...As far as riding out a fire inside goes that is not something I would want to do but you would have breathable air even if the fire surrounded you.

Wouldn't the surrounding fire have the tendency to "suck" the air out of the building to sustain the fire thereby suffocating those inside the building?

 

[Weedygarden]

Wouldn't the surrounding fire have the tendency to "suck" the air out of the building to sustain the fire thereby suffocating those inside the building?

Thank you! That is what I have often wondered? Anyone know anyone in fire fighting that they could ask? Sentry? What about that SIL?

 

[ssonb]

In most cases there would be enuf o2 to breathe, Smoke jumpers hunker down in the fireproof tents when the forest fires overrun their positions. Now in a real Fire storm like in Dresden Germany the heat exchange vortex was so strong it was like a tornado, if your were in a basement and as long as you were just outside the fire storm center the fresh air being drawn in to feed the fire has to come from somewhere but if the main center is over you there may not be enough 02. BTW I was a FFEMT for 28 years.

 

[Weedygarden]

In most cases there would be enuf o2 to breathe, Smoke jumpers hunker down in the fireproof tents when the forest fires overrun their positions. Now in a real Fire storm like in Dresden Germany the heat exchange vortex was so strong it was like a tornado, if your were in a basement and as long as you were just outside the fire storm center the fresh air being drawn in to feed the fire has to come from somewhere but if the main center is over you there may not be enough 02. BTW I was a FFEMT for 28 years.

I know that people who are on oxygen are not supposed to smoke or light a fire because of the possibility of an explosion. I have thought of this as well, and think having some tanks of oxygen would not be safe either.

 

[TMT Tactical]

I have often wondered why people do not install fire sprinkler type system on the roof. The first trick is not to call them a "FIRE Sprinkler System" and instead call it a a roof washing system. This type of system was designed into the "Tin Hat House" project. The water is pumped from the cistern, flows across the roof, down the gutters and back into the cistern. This system will also help lower the temp in a house should it get above your livable temp. Turns the entire roof into an evaportive cooler (I.E. Swamp Cooler), this works best in dry, less humid climates.