Californians are by now familiar with how vicious wildfires have become. Fires are not only burning hotter, but they are spreading quicker as well.(Video Above: LiveCopter 3 compilation at Caldor Fire on Aug. 24, 2021)So how do people know when fire crews gain the upper hand in controlling -- a term that will be explained later in this article -- a wildfire? Generally, people will pay attention to two numbers: acreage and containment.Acreage measures not the current size of the fire, but how many acres it has burned. For example, the Dixie Fire, the state's second-largest fire in history as of Aug. 24, has burned more than 700,000 acres. That does not mean the fire itself has 700,000 acres actively burning. Bluntly put, that would be an especially terrifying image if that many acres were actively on fire in one location. The amount of smoke visible from the Dixie Fire has decreased drastically since its peak activity.Then there's containment. Some people might turn to containment and view 100% as meaning the fire is out.That would be incorrect.Containment itself refers to a barrier, whether it be natural or manmade, that prevents a wildfire from spreading. Manmade barriers can refer to trenches dug up by crews or by heavy machinery such as dozers.Natural barriers can include, rivers, roads and land already burned from previous fires.Here's how Cal Fire's Daniel Berlant explained containment last year: More Like This | Evacuation warnings vs. orders, forward progress and acreage: California wildfire terms to know Containment lines vs. fire linesWhen receiving updates from fire agencies such as Cal Fire or the U.S. Forest Service, you will often hear terms like fire lines as well as containment lines. They are not interchangeable.Fire lines refer to efforts made by crews, including retardant or water drops, dozers clearing the ground of any dry, combustible fuels, or backfires that burn out land before it can contribute to a wildfire's spread.While fire lines contribute to stopping a wildfire from growing, they themselves are separate from containment lines. Crews will determine if a portion of a fire perimeter is contained when it becomes apparent that the fire cannot burn through that containment line.Fires can spread past containment linesWhen a wildfire is 100% contained, what that means is the line around the fire has been fully secured, preventing flames from spreading beyond the line. However, extreme fire behavior in the past has led to fire not only jumping past fire lines, but also containment lines.It is important to know that even with 100% containment, there are likely still hotspots and flames within the lines, which can continue to burn for weeks or even months. What control of a fire meansWhen crews say they've gained control of a wildfire, that is a specific term that means the fire is unable to spread, and that remaining hot spots are either extinguished or mostly subdued. Controlling a fire is what more or less determines that a fire is out.Crews can control a fire before 100% containment is established. This is why with some wildfires, you'll see officials lift evacuation warnings and orders for communities even if, for example, a wildfire is only 25% contained.In the case of the Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County, containment remains low despite an aggressive attack by fire crews since it first sparked Aug. 14. Fire officials have said that is the case because most of their efforts have been focused on trying to slow the spread of the fire, which has grown at such a threatening pace.How to tell when crews are gaining the upper handFor the average person, especially in a climate where fires are burning bigger, knowing when crews are gaining the upper hand on a fire requires understanding more about a wildfire’s situation aside from acreage and containment.How people can do so involves monitoring daily updates from agencies and analyzing what the updates mean. How much has the amount of acres burned increased each day? Are evacuation orders and warnings being added or lifted? Are roads reopening? While containment is not the absolute decider in knowing where a fire stands, it does help put into perspective where fire crews have deemed an area as unlikely for a fire to spread.Related | Fire Season 2021 Preparedness Guide: What to know, how to keep your family safe
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Californians are by now familiar with how vicious wildfires have become. Fires are not only burning hotter, but they are spreading quicker as well.
(Video Above: LiveCopter 3 compilation at Caldor Fire on Aug. 24, 2021)
So how do people know when fire crews gain the upper hand in controlling -- a term that will be explained later in this article -- a wildfire? Generally, people will pay attention to two numbers: acreage and containment.
Acreage measures not the current size of the fire, but how many acres it has burned. For example, the Dixie Fire, the state's second-largest fire in history as of Aug. 24, has burned more than 700,000 acres. That does not mean the fire itself has 700,000 acres actively burning. Bluntly put, that would be an especially terrifying image if that many acres were actively on fire in one location. The amount of smoke visible from the Dixie Fire has decreased drastically since its peak activity.
Then there's containment. Some people might turn to containment and view 100% as meaning the fire is out.
That would be incorrect.
Containment itself refers to a barrier, whether it be natural or manmade, that prevents a wildfire from spreading. Manmade barriers can refer to trenches dug up by crews or by heavy machinery such as dozers.
Natural barriers can include, rivers, roads and land already burned from previous fires.
Here's how Cal Fire's Daniel Berlant explained containment last year:
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More Like This | Evacuation warnings vs. orders, forward progress and acreage: California wildfire terms to know
Containment lines vs. fire lines
When receiving updates from fire agencies such as Cal Fire or the U.S. Forest Service, you will often hear terms like fire lines as well as containment lines. They are not interchangeable.
Fire lines refer to efforts made by crews, including retardant or water drops, dozers clearing the ground of any dry, combustible fuels, or backfires that burn out land before it can contribute to a wildfire's spread.
While fire lines contribute to stopping a wildfire from growing, they themselves are separate from containment lines. Crews will determine if a portion of a fire perimeter is contained when it becomes apparent that the fire cannot burn through that containment line.
Fires can spread past containment lines
When a wildfire is 100% contained, what that means is the line around the fire has been fully secured, preventing flames from spreading beyond the line. However, extreme fire behavior in the past has led to fire not only jumping past fire lines, but also containment lines.
It is important to know that even with 100% containment, there are likely still hotspots and flames within the lines, which can continue to burn for weeks or even months.
What control of a fire means
When crews say they've gained control of a wildfire, that is a specific term that means the fire is unable to spread, and that remaining hot spots are either extinguished or mostly subdued. Controlling a fire is what more or less determines that a fire is out.
Crews can control a fire before 100% containment is established. This is why with some wildfires, you'll see officials lift evacuation warnings and orders for communities even if, for example, a wildfire is only 25% contained.
In the case of the Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County, containment remains low despite an aggressive attack by fire crews since it first sparked Aug. 14. Fire officials have said that is the case because most of their efforts have been focused on trying to slow the spread of the fire, which has grown at such a threatening pace.
How to tell when crews are gaining the upper hand
For the average person, especially in a climate where fires are burning bigger, knowing when crews are gaining the upper hand on a fire requires understanding more about a wildfire’s situation aside from acreage and containment.
How people can do so involves monitoring daily updates from agencies and analyzing what the updates mean. How much has the amount of acres burned increased each day? Are evacuation orders and warnings being added or lifted? Are roads reopening? While containment is not the absolute decider in knowing where a fire stands, it does help put into perspective where fire crews have deemed an area as unlikely for a fire to spread.
Related | Fire Season 2021 Preparedness Guide: What to know, how to keep your family safe
