1. Power point by Keith Wall Pearson, Georgia (Retired Ag. Teacher, Ware Co.)

3. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, peat fire, bushfire or hill fire, is an uncontrolled fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources. Note: The following pictures are from fires in Ware Co., Ga.peatbushfirefire wildland

5. Common causes include lightning, human carelessness, arson, volcano eruption, and pyroclastic cloud from active volcano. Heat waves, droughts, and cyclical climate changes such as El Niño can also have a dramatic effect on the risk of wildfires.lightningarsonvolcanopyroclasticHeat waves droughtsclimate changesEl Niño

6. The Sweat Farm Road Fire in Ware Co. was caused by a downed powerline.

8. Wildfires tend to be most common and severe during years of drought and occur on days of strong winds.

11. To Date = May 7, 2007

20. Staging area at Ware Co. High

24. The evaporation of water in plants are balanced by water absorbed from the soil. Below this threshold, the plants dry out and under stress release the flammable gas ethylene. A consequence of a long hot and dry period is therefore that the air contains flammable essences and plants are drier and highly flammable. ethylene

26. The propagation of the fire has three mechanisms: "crawling" fire: the fire spreads via low level vegetation (bushes) "crown" fire: a fire that "crowns" (spreads to the top branches of trees) "jumping" or "spotting" fire: burning branches and leaves are carried by the wind and start distant fires

27. “Crawling Fire”

28. “Crown Fire”

29. “Jumping Fire”

30. To control the fire, firefighters used:

31. Fire trucks

37. Bulldozers

40. Bulldozers created a wide firebreak on 4/22/07

41. Helicopters

46. Airplanes

51. And 100’s of people working behind the scene to provide aid to the fire fighters.

52. Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner and Ware Co. Sheriff Ronnie McQuaig (past FFA members of Ware Co.).

53. Waycross Fire Dept, Dee Meadows (past FFA member of Ware Co.)

54. Ware Co. Fire Chief Jimmy Brown, past Pres. Of Ware Co. FFA and he holds the America Farmer Degree

55. Jimbo Brogdon, with GIS (past Ware Co. FFA member)

56. Wayne Rouse (past Ware Co. FFA member and he holds the American Farmer Degree)

57. Steve Hampton, Deputy Director of Ware Co. Emergency Mgt. (past Ware Co. FFA member)

58. Wilton Deloach ( on the left), Ware Co. Bd. Of Ed. Member (past Ware Co. FFA member)

59. Supplies donated by individuals and businesses.

60. Fire fighting can be dangerous.

61. Fire fighting equipment

62. Firefighters saved the buildings at Okefenokee Swamp Park

63. On May 17, 2007 this walkway ( 1,400 ft) was a total lost. The fire was likely caused when winds shifted directions and a reburned area occurred near the walkway.

65. Smoke is always a big problem with large wildfires.

71. L. S. WALKER STATE PARK

77. A close view of a wildfire in progress!!!

83. After the fire is gone.

86. This was a crown fire. The pine trees are dead and must be cut and sold within a 2 – 4 week period (after the wildfire) because the wood will turn a blue color. Wood mills will not buy trees with blue streaks in the wood. There is still more bad news for the owner, trees are sold by weight and all of these trees have lost 50-60% of there weight. The owner will only receive about one-half of the value of the tree after the fire!!!

91. June 3, 2007

92. May 12, 2007 Satellite

93. Fire Report on May 14,2007 Total active fires in Ga. : 37 wildfires on 281, 832 acres FireCountyPersons Acres % Cont. Cost Big Turn- around Ware/ Charlton55984,150 45 $8,568,760 Sweat Farm Road Ware/ Charlton998130,41 4 80 $20,256,825

94. Bugaboo Scrub Fire was started on May 5, 2007 by lighting. This fire was located deep in the Okefenokee Swamp.

95. Fire Report on May 14, 2007 FireCountyPersons Acres % Cont. Cost Bugaboo Scrub Fire (Ga.) Ware 95139,813 0 0 Fla. Bugaboo Wildfire Baker 301102,500 30$1,409,000

96. On May 22, 2007, all three fires, the Sweat Farm, Turnaround and the Bugaboo Scrub Fire had merged. The fires have now consumed more than 336,001 acres at a cost of more than $ 34 million in Georgia. This cost does not include the hundreds of millions of dollars in lost timber. The above fires and the Roundabout Swamp Fire are still active and being monitored (May 22, 2007).

97. The remains of the overnight shelter at Big Water (which is located in the middle of the Okefenokee Swamp, May 22, 2007)

98. The remains of the Maul Hammock overnight shelter, May 22, 2007

99. Roundabout Swamp Fire was started on April 27, 2007 in Atkinson County. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but the Arson Investigation Task Force are investigating.

100. Note: The following pictures are in Atkinson County.

102. On May 10, 2007 the Roundabout Swamp Fire in Atkinson Co. has required 226 persons, burned 5,857 acres, is 70% contained at a cost of $395,000.

104. “Fire whirl”

105. On May 23, 2007 the Roundabout Swamp is requiring 47 persons ( to monitor the fire), has burned 5,857 acres and is 95% contained at a cost of $1.4 million. Total active fires in Georgia: 52 fires on 368,274 acres.

106. On June 2, 2007, it is raining on all the wildfires in southeast Georgia. Most of the fires receive 4 to 5 inches of rain. Firefighters get a needed break from the fire on this day, but they are back to work the next day with winds gust of 25 – 30 miles per hour. The fire is still burning. More rain will be needed to put the fires out.

107. THE END Power point by Keith Wall Pearson, Georgia (Retired Ag. Teacher, Ware Co.)