Yarnell Hill Fire Essay

“On average more than 100,000 wildfires, also called wildland fires or forest fires, clear 4 to 5 million acres of land in the U.S every year”. This fact is according to the National Geographic website. Wildfires are dangerous because of how quickly they can spread and the damage they can make. They can move up to fourteen miles an hour across land destroying everything they come in contact with. We have learned throughout the years how a wildfire originates, the impact that it can cause, and safety rules that one can take if necessary. Most wildfires are caused by people, though nature can play a role as well. Through the Mann Gulch fire and the Yarnell, we have learned valuable lessons that have led to improving our firefighting tactics,

It overran and killed 23 firefighters. According to an article in Arizona Central news, the change in the radical behavior of the burning fuels is what caused the deaths. A study, commissioned by the Arizona Department of Occupational Safety and Health concluded that the Forestry Division mismanaged the fire from its early hours, dismissed to follow rules for managing a complex incident, and failed to prioritize firefighter safety over the protection of structures and property. The firefighter’s strategy in attacking the fire was not appropriate to the conditions. An ADOSH report noted that aviation and ground resources were not following the same tactical plan, which means that there was miscommunication. The government should have greater requirements for homeowners and private companies to build in a certain area. Local government should create safety zones to prevent further incidents. We have learned that there needs to be more done on the side of the Arizona Legislature financially in order to establish a better way to increase our technology and guidelines and in turn decrease more potential failures.

With all these major wildfires that have unfolded and caused destruction in communities, we have learned how they are caused and ways to prepare for them. We have done many things, such as putting guidelines and policies in place in order to secure a better understanding to help prevent more destruction and casualties. Although over the years we have improved much, there is still the unknown variable that will always be present when it comes to wildfires, which is how they behave and the factors that go along with