EAPS 106 EXAM 3 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
\Q\.Whether lightning or humans start more wildfires. - ANSWERS✔-85% of all wildfires in the
US are caused by humans (the rest by lightning)
\Q\.The reasons why fires started by lightning tend to burn more acres. - ANSWERS✔-Occurs in
more remote areas, goes longer before being noticed, more difficult to fight, often left to burn
as a natural process, Human-lit fires have equipment nearby (typically)
\Q\.What influences the potential for a wildfire to spread. - ANSWERS✔-The potential for a
wildfire to spread depends on the type of vegetation (some fuels burn more easily), topography
(fires burn faster uphill), and weather (hotter and dryer means faster burn).
\Q\.Why the highest percentage of human ignited fires occur in the southeastern U.S. -
ANSWERS✔-The southeast is hot and densely populated.
\Q\.What surface and crown fires are. - ANSWERS✔-- Surface fires involve grasses, pine needles,
and shrubs. The large surface area to volume ratio of these fuels allow them to burn more easily
and spread more rapidly. - Crown fires are those in which flames reach the top (crown) of trees
where fine branches and needles can burn very rapidly. They are the hottest and fastest moving
of all wildfires and extremely difficult to fight.
\Q\.The three stages of a wildfire. - ANSWERS✔-Fire Triangle: Heat, Oxygen, Fuel. Preignition:
Heat of fuels causes them to lose moisture, making them more combustible.
,Combustion: Hotter temperatures cause fuels to release gases that combine with oxygen in a
chemical reaction that releases more heat, leading tot a chain reaction.
Smoldering: Ash cover leads to slow, low temperature burning and inhibits new fuels from
lighting
\Q\.What cause fires to spread faster by directing flames to new fuels. - ANSWERS✔-Strong
winds and steep topography can cause fires to spread faster by directing flames to new fuels.
\Q\.The original policy of the U.S. Forest Service toward fighting wildfires - ANSWERS✔-Fight
them whenever and wherever they occur, following the disastrous great fire of 1910 their
original response to wildfires was to aggressively fight all wildfires.
\Q\.Which wildfire was the largest to occur in United States history. - ANSWERS✔-The great fire
of 1910 burned 3 million acres in the northwest in two days, killed 87 people, 78 of whom were
firefighters, prompting the National Forest Service to start fighting all wildfires, Caused by
lightning storms, strong winds.
\Q\.the mascot used by the U.S. Forest Service to promote fighting all forest fires. - ANSWERS✔-
Smokey the Bear. This lead to a generation of massively destructive fires.
\Q\.Why fighting smaller fires lead to much bigger ones. - ANSWERS✔-If there are no smaller
fires to remove the underbrush and fuel that builds up, they can lead to massive fires due to the
built up fuel. In typical forests, every year without fire adds the equivalent of 300 gallons of
gasoline per acre.
\Q\.The lesson of The Legend of Coyote in terms of wildfires. - ANSWERS✔-- Produced a tale
about life coming from death and destruction?
- The destruction being fire that renews the earth
- The coyote symbolizes wisdom
, \Q\.Why ancient hunters set fires to grasslands. - ANSWERS✔-To maintain grasslands, to
prevent trees and shrubs from taking over, and to scare prey out from areas for hunting. Grasses
can survive fire because they can regrow from the roots while the trees and shrubs cannot
\Q\.The difference between a fire weather watch and warning. - ANSWERS✔-Fire Weather
Watch: Potentially dangerous fire weather conditions are possible over the next 12-72 hours.
Hot/dry/windy conditions with some thunderstorms. When there are the right conditions to
start a fire but there is NOT an actual fire
Fire Weather Warning: Wildfires are occurring in the general area or will occur in the next 24
hours.
\Q\.Good fire safety practices for evacuations and for your home. - ANSWERS✔-- Have an
evacuation plan: Escape route, housing, supplied, medicines, and copies of important papers
ready to go
- Practice how you will communicate with your family
- Know how to stay informed - set up text or email alerts, monitor weather reports, buy a
weather radio
\Q\.The most common reason why houses in subdivisions catch fire due to wildfires. -
ANSWERS✔-Flammable roofs catch on fire from burning embers (firebrands) carried by winds
Inflammable roofs are expensive
\Q\.The ingredient for s'mores. - ANSWERS✔-2 Graham crackers
Chocolate
Melted marshmallow
\Q\.The purpose of a fireline and a backburn. - ANSWERS✔-Backburn: controlled burns that
eliminate the fuel of incoming wildfires in order to prevent them continuing in that specific
direction
CORRECT ANSWERS
\Q\.Whether lightning or humans start more wildfires. - ANSWERS✔-85% of all wildfires in the
US are caused by humans (the rest by lightning)
\Q\.The reasons why fires started by lightning tend to burn more acres. - ANSWERS✔-Occurs in
more remote areas, goes longer before being noticed, more difficult to fight, often left to burn
as a natural process, Human-lit fires have equipment nearby (typically)
\Q\.What influences the potential for a wildfire to spread. - ANSWERS✔-The potential for a
wildfire to spread depends on the type of vegetation (some fuels burn more easily), topography
(fires burn faster uphill), and weather (hotter and dryer means faster burn).
\Q\.Why the highest percentage of human ignited fires occur in the southeastern U.S. -
ANSWERS✔-The southeast is hot and densely populated.
\Q\.What surface and crown fires are. - ANSWERS✔-- Surface fires involve grasses, pine needles,
and shrubs. The large surface area to volume ratio of these fuels allow them to burn more easily
and spread more rapidly. - Crown fires are those in which flames reach the top (crown) of trees
where fine branches and needles can burn very rapidly. They are the hottest and fastest moving
of all wildfires and extremely difficult to fight.
\Q\.The three stages of a wildfire. - ANSWERS✔-Fire Triangle: Heat, Oxygen, Fuel. Preignition:
Heat of fuels causes them to lose moisture, making them more combustible.
,Combustion: Hotter temperatures cause fuels to release gases that combine with oxygen in a
chemical reaction that releases more heat, leading tot a chain reaction.
Smoldering: Ash cover leads to slow, low temperature burning and inhibits new fuels from
lighting
\Q\.What cause fires to spread faster by directing flames to new fuels. - ANSWERS✔-Strong
winds and steep topography can cause fires to spread faster by directing flames to new fuels.
\Q\.The original policy of the U.S. Forest Service toward fighting wildfires - ANSWERS✔-Fight
them whenever and wherever they occur, following the disastrous great fire of 1910 their
original response to wildfires was to aggressively fight all wildfires.
\Q\.Which wildfire was the largest to occur in United States history. - ANSWERS✔-The great fire
of 1910 burned 3 million acres in the northwest in two days, killed 87 people, 78 of whom were
firefighters, prompting the National Forest Service to start fighting all wildfires, Caused by
lightning storms, strong winds.
\Q\.the mascot used by the U.S. Forest Service to promote fighting all forest fires. - ANSWERS✔-
Smokey the Bear. This lead to a generation of massively destructive fires.
\Q\.Why fighting smaller fires lead to much bigger ones. - ANSWERS✔-If there are no smaller
fires to remove the underbrush and fuel that builds up, they can lead to massive fires due to the
built up fuel. In typical forests, every year without fire adds the equivalent of 300 gallons of
gasoline per acre.
\Q\.The lesson of The Legend of Coyote in terms of wildfires. - ANSWERS✔-- Produced a tale
about life coming from death and destruction?
- The destruction being fire that renews the earth
- The coyote symbolizes wisdom
, \Q\.Why ancient hunters set fires to grasslands. - ANSWERS✔-To maintain grasslands, to
prevent trees and shrubs from taking over, and to scare prey out from areas for hunting. Grasses
can survive fire because they can regrow from the roots while the trees and shrubs cannot
\Q\.The difference between a fire weather watch and warning. - ANSWERS✔-Fire Weather
Watch: Potentially dangerous fire weather conditions are possible over the next 12-72 hours.
Hot/dry/windy conditions with some thunderstorms. When there are the right conditions to
start a fire but there is NOT an actual fire
Fire Weather Warning: Wildfires are occurring in the general area or will occur in the next 24
hours.
\Q\.Good fire safety practices for evacuations and for your home. - ANSWERS✔-- Have an
evacuation plan: Escape route, housing, supplied, medicines, and copies of important papers
ready to go
- Practice how you will communicate with your family
- Know how to stay informed - set up text or email alerts, monitor weather reports, buy a
weather radio
\Q\.The most common reason why houses in subdivisions catch fire due to wildfires. -
ANSWERS✔-Flammable roofs catch on fire from burning embers (firebrands) carried by winds
Inflammable roofs are expensive
\Q\.The ingredient for s'mores. - ANSWERS✔-2 Graham crackers
Chocolate
Melted marshmallow
\Q\.The purpose of a fireline and a backburn. - ANSWERS✔-Backburn: controlled burns that
eliminate the fuel of incoming wildfires in order to prevent them continuing in that specific
direction
