Wildland fires a possibility this year

In 1910, the great fire commonly known as the Big Blowup burned millions of acres across western Montana and Idaho. During the winter before those three days in August, the area had seen a large snowfall, but by around the end of March and beginning of April, it stopped raining.

This year, Bob Derleth, fire management officer at the Superior Ranger District, said that similarly the area has seen a good snowfall, and though it continues to rain, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the area won’t have a bad fire season. Derleth said that he can’t predict when the next big fire will be, but it is possible something like 1910 could happen again.

On Monday, April 4, Derleth spoke to the DeBorgia Volunteer Firefighters about wildland fires, how they work and what circumstances are in place today.

Fire chief Bruce Charles said that when wildland fires occur in their immediate area, they are generally the first ones called out to that fire. He said that in any case they work together with all entities.

“Wildland fires are a high priority when they occur because of the risk. If one gets away, we have a problem,” Charles said.

Charles said that Derleth has spoken to them in the past about wildland fires and noted he is a good person to listen to because he is a “true expert” in the field.

“To listen to him is very advantageous. We’ve gone through winter and forgotten a few things relating to wildland fires,” Charles said.

Derleth started by talking about the conditions that lined up back in August 1910 to cause the  worst days of the fire on August 20-21. After that, he proposed the question of whether or not it could happen again.

“This area has a history of big fires and it can happen again,” Derleth noted.

Derleth said that it seems pretty unlikely that the combinations of things that caused the big blowup could happen again, but he noted that big fires, those that burn 50,000 to 100,000 acre fires, which the area has started having in the last dozen years.

In 1988, Yellowstone Park burned and in 2000, the Bitterroot had a bunch of big fires as well. He said that he believes larger fires will continue to happen for several reasons.

Derleth said that people have been really good at putting out fires since World War II, which is contributing to the larger fires today as fuels, such as dead trees have piled up. He noted that the area was in a drought up until recently and the beetles are also a contributing problem. People are now living within the woods, which changes how they fight fires and there’s a lack of decrease in experienced fire personnel.

Fuel buildup is one of the major causes. Derleth said that “trees are relentless.” They just keep growing. Trees die and fall over. Fires that have started haven’t been allowed to burn in the past. Green trees also fall down in the wind as they haven’t grown any good roots as they’ve depended on other trees for protection. The buildup in the back of the mountains can make it difficult for crews to build fire lines and it’s slow getting machinery back there as the fires are three or four miles out.

When fires start, resources are divided. Derleth said that with homes in the wood, houses have to be checked for people and are also protected.

“It is the right thing to do, but at the same time it takes all of us that could be putting out fire line on the fire we’re working around the houses to save houses. It’s the right thing to do, but it just gives the fire a chance to pick up steam,” Derleth said.

 The lack of experienced firefighters comes as the Forest Service is low on firefighters. To combat this, the forest service contractors. The personnel are usually pushed quickly through a course before being put out on a fire. 

“There’s just fewer trained firefighters that that’s their regular job anymore so we hire contractors,” Derleth said. “Only fire they’ve only seen is a campfire and they’re out trying to put a line on a fire and their not good at it.”

Derleth said that in light of these conditions there are things they should be doing to prevent larger fires from occurring. He said that they need to put out fires when they should, but when it’s appropriate they should use fire, prescribed burning, to rid of excess fuels. Logging can also be beneficial.

Derleth used several photos that he’s collected over the years in his time to show the volunteer firefighters as he talked through today’s conditions. Charles said that each spring, the Forest Service puts them through a scenario of a wildland fire for training.

Charles said that the training every spring and the presentation helps them to prepare for the event of a fire as you can’t spend time thinking about what you’re going to do.

“You have to coordinate early,” Charles said. “When a fire starts in one place, it will burn and we can’t be thinking, ‘what the heck are we going to do?’”

Derleth said that even with all the precipitation this year, the county will have a fire season it is just always a question of how bad it will be.