community-based disaster risk management and the media media kit
community-based disaster risk management and the media media kit
community-based disaster risk management and the media media kit
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chapter 3. useful information for <strong>the</strong> <strong>media</strong><br />
Community-<strong>based</strong> FIRE Preparedness<br />
Fire is a chemical reaction between three elements: oxygen, heat <strong>and</strong><br />
fuel. If any of <strong>the</strong> three elements disappear, <strong>the</strong> fi re will disappear too.<br />
1. FUEL - Fuel or combustible materials, e.g. newspapers, clothing,<br />
curtains, carpet, furniture, etc.<br />
2. OXYGEN - Present in <strong>the</strong> air<br />
3. HEAT- Flames, electricity, hot metal, or even a tiny spark of fi re<br />
If conditions are right, a fi re can start almost anywhere at any time.<br />
Most fi re hazards occur when <strong>the</strong> wea<strong>the</strong>r is dry <strong>and</strong> hot.<br />
The heat source for starting a fi re in nature can be natural (e.g. a lightning<br />
strike) or man-made (e.g. careless use of fi re or even cigarettes, etc.).<br />
Fuels include anything from dry grass <strong>and</strong> leaves to branches, wood or<br />
houses. Different types of fuel burn at different temperatures because<br />
each substance has a so-called “ignition temperature.” The oil in <strong>the</strong><br />
leaves of a eucalyptus tree is one of <strong>the</strong> most explosive fuels that exist<br />
in nature.e of its low ignition temperature.<br />
What are wildfi res/forest fi res/bush fi res?<br />
Fires can get out of control <strong>and</strong> spread over large areas very easily. For<br />
instance, an unattended small campfi re may easily get out of control<br />
<strong>and</strong> cause a very large, uncontrolled fi re. These escaped fi res are<br />
often referred to as “wildfi res.” Depending on what type of vegetation or<br />
material is burning <strong>the</strong>y can be referred to as “forest fi res,” “bush fi res,”<br />
“grass fi res” or “peat fi res.”<br />
Causes of Forest Fires<br />
The most common natural cause of wildfi res is lightning. However, most<br />
wildfi res are caused directly or indirectly by people, for example fi res<br />
can escape when farmers burn <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong> to make it more fertile (<strong>the</strong>se<br />
are referred to as uncontrolled or escaped l<strong>and</strong>-use fi res) or by children<br />
playing with matches. Fires can also start when people are careless<br />
in using cigarettes, when cooking in <strong>the</strong> woods or in using campfi res.<br />
Sometimes, people even start fi res intentionally (arson).<br />
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