Forest Fire Survival

[Russ Bogardus]

I would like to start a discussion on surviving a forest fire that is rapidly approaching you while you a backpacking in your favorite forest. I happen to live in Colorado that is going through a multiyear period of drought. Things are dry here and the beetle kill of pine trees isn’t  helping either. There was a 3 series article “Walking on Fire: A Light-Hikers Guide to Wildfire Awareness, Survival, and Evasion” posted on BPL back in 2009 which was a good introduction but in 13 years I have to believe that technology, tools and gear for saving oneself has changed. Anyone care to share any information on the best evasion and (worse case) survival techniques if you can’t escape the fire?

Russ Bogardus

[BlackHatGuy]

While I haven’t read it, you might get some information from Rex Sanders’ 3-part series on “Adapting to Changing Wildfires” from October 2020.

And while I didn’t listen to it, you might also glean some information from BPL’s podcast “The New Reality of Western Wildfires.”

[John S.]

https://www.backpacker.com/survival/den-mother-forest-fire/

https://scoutingmagazine.org/2016/04/survival-strategies-help-escape-forest-fire/

[Dan]

I have been in the path of approaching wildfires while backpacking in Colorado a couple of times, most recently the Morgan Creek fire in the Zirkels last summer, which apparently started the same morning that I left the trailhead, so I had no warning. Still, if you are paying attention to your surroundings, you should have opportunities to turn around before danger approaches. In this case, I was on the other side of the continental divide, but take a look at the appearance of the sunset in my photo. And the next morning, my pack had ash on it, as shown in the other photo. I continued up to the divide just to take a look, but then used my InReach to ask my wife about the situation and she told me about the fire, so I cut my trip short and turned around. Yes, if I had insisted on completing my trip, I could have put myself at risk, so I guess that’s my main piece of advice, don’t be stubborn and stupid. If you see lots of smoke ahead of you, turn around. If you are thinking about Hollywood scenarios where you submerge yourself in a river as the fire passes over you, then you’ve probably already made multiple bad decisions IMO.

[Dan]

Sorry, when I replied, I didn’t realize that this was a zombie thread.

[Russ Bogardus]

Hi Dan. I am the originator of this post and do not understand the term “zombie post”. Excuse my ignorance. Please enlighten me What the phrase means.

Thank you,
Russ

[Dan]

I just meant that it was old. Threads generally have a lifecycle, where they are actively discussed, and then they become neglected and fade away. Sometimes someone adds a post to bring the thread back to the top (bringing it back to life, like a zombie), as @John S. did, and people don’t realize it’s actually an old thread if they don’t look at the OP date, which I didn’t.

[David Gardner]

I’m glad you bumped the thread. Your post is useful and relevant. I guess I’m old school because three weeks doesn’t seem old to me

[John S.]

backpacking zombies are cool

[Dan]

backpacking zombies are cool

Careful, John. I don’t think humor is allowed on BPL.  ;-)

[jscott]

usually, smoke alone from nearby fires will turn me back, even if I could theoretically continue safely on. In my experience:

–people issuing wilderness permits are not necessarily au courant with the status of fires, so you can head towards a fire that’s two days away on your itinerary without the staff noticing or warning you.  (hopefully this was a one-off that happened to me some years ago).

–fires can blow up in an instant with the wrong wind conditions. I walked into Reds Meadows once a day ahead of schedule. it was a crazy wind day. there was a Hot Shot crew at the little village. I was evacuated out on the last bus. The surrounding area is still charred some decades later. this all blew up in a single day.

–Once you’re en route it’s hard to to get accurate info.

–did I mention winds? Yes. If winds are blustery and there’s fire about, get out.

–Strangely, I didn’t smell smoke until I reached Red’s Meadows. This fire was one of the worst in the history of the area. I was planning to spend another night in the woods. In this case, smoke didn’t alert me. I came out because I wanted a slice of pie. Sheesh.

 

 

 

[David Gardner]

Dan, you must not have read Rex Sanders’ Magnum Opus on tent sizing yet.

[Author]

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