Antarctic Peninsula and Polar Circle 2020 Feb 10 2020 -13

Fire in the Antarctic
Gregers Gjersøe, Snowshoe Master & Expedition Guide
Fire is one of the greatest threats in Antarctica thanks to
the region’s very dry climate, frequent strong winds,
and nearly complete lack of liquid freshwater. Due to
the continent’s isolation with and little possibility of
rescue for weeks or months, a fire in the Antarctic is a
potentially very disastrous event.
Although it is covered in snow and ice, the cold
temperatures of Antarctica make the White Continent
very dry. As it is one of the windiest places on Earth,
there is almost always a strong wind blowing much of
the time, more than strong enough to fan any flames.
As the temperatures across the whole continent of
Antarctica is averaging below freezing, there is unlikely
to be very much liquid water to fight fires. So, the
response to fire is usually to make sure everyone is out
of danger and safe and then stand back and watch it
burn itself out.
Bases in Antarctica are often designed to survive fires
because they are made up of a number of separate
buildings, each with a significant distance between
them. Many bases have emergency supplies stored in a
hut near the base but well away. In these huts, there
are often enough supplies and ample shelter for the
base’s crew to be able to survive a fire or emergency
until help can arrive.
The Argentine Antarctic base and scientific research
station, “Brown Station,” is named after Admiral
William Brown, the father of the Argentine Navy.
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Located on the Sanaviron Peninsula along Paradise
Harbour’s Danco Coast, from 1951 to 1984 it served as
a permanent research base, though, since then, it is
open only during the summer season.
During its heyday, the station was home to one of the
most complete biology laboratories on the Antarctic
Peninsula, featuring a main house, as well as an
additional building exclusively for scientific research.
This building was equipped with three labs, a
photography workshop, an emergency radio station, an
office and a library.
Unfortunately, Brown Station’s original facilities were
burned down by the station’s doctor on 12 April 1984
after he was ordered to stay on for yet another winter,
despite the original terms of his contract and his desire
to see his fiancé once again. As you can imagine, the
stress of Antarctica’s harsh winter conditions can take
its toll on residents and explorers of the region, driving
them to take extreme measures to get back home.
The doctor simply couldn’t bear to stay on for another
winter and he couldn’t stand the isolation as the days
drew darker. His solution? To force an evacuation of
himself and his colleagues in the only way plausible
manner: by burning the station down.
After the fire, the station’s personnel were rescued by
the USS Hero and taken to United States’ Palmer
Station. Argentina later rebuilt the base, but it is now
only occupied during the summer months. The station’s
doctor was sent to prison for arson and his fiancé
decided to call off the engagement.
© Werner Kruse
1-10 FEB 2020
Volume 2, Issue 12