Fire Basics
What are the three parts of the fire triangle?
Heat, fuel, and oxygen
How does earlier snowmelt affect wildfire season?
It makes wildfire season start earlier
What is the #1 preventable human cause of wildfires in BC?
Unattended campfires
What is cultural burning?
The intentional use of low-intensity fire by Indigenous Peoples to care for the land
What does WUI stand for?
Wildland-Urban Interface
What is the term for the material that burns in a wildfire?
Fuel
What BC weather event in 2021 brought temperatures above 49°C?
The heat dome
What should you always do before leaving a campfire?
Drown, stir, and feel for heat
Before colonization, how did Indigenous Peoples view fire?
As a tool for stewardship and ecosystem care
What is the leading way homes ignite during wildfires?
Embers entering or landing on the home.
What type of wildfire fuel allows flames to climb into tree canopies?
Ladder fuels
What are pyrocumulonimbus clouds?
Fire-generated storm clouds created by intense wildfire heat
What is defensible space?
A cleared or managed area around structures that reduces wildfire spread
What government law restricted Indigenous Peoples from accessing traditional lands?
The Indian Act
Why are many BC communities especially vulnerable during wildfires?
Many only have one evacuation route/access road
What weather factor can carry embers kilometres ahead of a wildfire?
Wind
What is spotting (ember cast)?
Embers being carried ahead of the fire to start new fires
Why are gutters and roofs dangerous during wildfire season?
They collect dry debris that can ignite from embers
What was the main goal of colonial fire suppression policies?
To extinguish all fires and protect timber/resources
Name one health impact of wildfire smoke
Respiratory illness or worsened heart/lung conditions
What is the name for an uncontrolled fire in forests, grasslands, or shrublands?
A wildfire
Name two ways climate change is increasing wildfire risk in BC
Examples: hotter temperatures, droughts, longer dry seasons, earlier snowmelt, more heatwaves
What are two examples of home hardening?
Examples: fire-resistant roofing, ember-resistant vents, non-combustible siding, screened vents
Name two benefits of cultural burning
Examples: reduces fuel buildup, improves biodiversity, supports food plants, lowers wildfire intensity, protects communities
What are two major impacts of catastrophic wildfires on communities?
Examples: evacuations, destroyed homes, economic loss, poor air quality, trauma