Question 1

Describe the best things to do if you are trapped by a fire.Where should you take shelter to protect yourself and why?

Accepted Answer

Try to reach flat,moist,grazed areas,ponds,or streams where vegetation is short,wetter,and not subject to updrafts.If trapped by a closely advancing fire,lie in a ditch,cover yourself with non-combustible material-such as wet clothes or wet dirt-and let the fire burn past you.If you can reach a car,park it over bare ground.Roll up the windows-covering them with opaque material to minimize access of radiant heat,if possible-and lie low.Even if the car catches fire,try to let the intense wall of fire pass before getting out.Except in movies,gasoline tanks rarely explode.Don't try to out-drive a closely approaching fire and don't drive through dense smoke-your chances of making it are slim.The safest place in an uncontrolled fire is in an area already burned.

Question 2

Why are fires more frequent and hotter now than they were several decades ago?

Accepted Answer

A)  aggressive fire suppression for many decades 
B)  global warming 
C)  insufficient logging of trees 
D)  more insect-killed trees 
E)  weaker trees because of acid rain from power plants 
A)  aggressive fire suppression for many decades 
B)  global warming 
C)  insufficient logging of trees 
D)  more insect-killed trees 
E)  weaker trees because of acid rain from power plants A

Question 3

How is fire danger or risk now determined over large areas?

Accepted Answer

A)  Visible-light sensors on satellites measure the variable shades between green and brown. 
B)  Infrared sensors on satellites measure greenness versus average greenness. 
C)  Forest service personnel collect vegetation samples and analyze their water content. 
D)  Forest service personnel fly over regions to analyze for dry vegetation. 
E)  Fire lookout employees scan their region to analyze for dry vegetation. 
A)  Visible-light sensors on satellites measure the variable shades between green and brown. 
B)  Infrared sensors on satellites measure greenness versus average greenness. 
C)  Forest service personnel collect vegetation samples and analyze their water content. 
D)  Forest service personnel fly over regions to analyze for dry vegetation. 
E)  Fire lookout employees scan their region to analyze for dry vegetation. B

Question 4

What is the principle cause of increased fire hazard to members of the public?

Accepted Answer

A)  people placing their propane tanks near their houses 
B)  more people living in the woods building with wood 
C)  more closures of forest roads 
D)  more logging of large trees in forests 
E)  more people building in or next to forests or other wild lands 
A)  people placing their propane tanks near their houses 
B)  more people living in the woods building with wood 
C)  more closures of forest roads 
D)  more logging of large trees in forests 
E)  more people building in or next to forests or other wild lands

Question 5

What is LEAST necessary to start and maintain a fire?

Accepted Answer

A)  fuel 
B)  high atmospheric pressure 
C)  warm temperatures 
D)  heat 
E)  oxygen 
A)  fuel 
B)  high atmospheric pressure 
C)  warm temperatures 
D)  heat 
E)  oxygen

Question 6

Why are fires more frequent and hotter now than they were several decades ago?

Accepted Answer

Aggressive

Question 7

What aspect of roads is most important for evacuation in case of a forest fire?

Accepted Answer

A)  a straight road 
B)  a paved road 
C)  a road in a valley bottom so no fuel is downslope 
D)  vegetation cleared from within 50 feet of the road 
E)  more than one evacuation route 
A)  a straight road 
B)  a paved road 
C)  a road in a valley bottom so no fuel is downslope 
D)  vegetation cleared from within 50 feet of the road 
E)  more than one evacuation route

Question 8

Why do lightning strikes in high mountains often NOT produce major fires?

Accepted Answer

A)  Air temperatures in high mountains are almost always lower. 
B)  High mountains have less vegetation. 
C)  Since fire moves more easily uphill, there is not much fuel above them. 
D)  Vegetation in high mountains is often not dried out in summer. 
E)  Actually, they do, but those in such remote areas are often permitted to burn. 
A)  Air temperatures in high mountains are almost always lower. 
B)  High mountains have less vegetation. 
C)  Since fire moves more easily uphill, there is not much fuel above them. 
D)  Vegetation in high mountains is often not dried out in summer. 
E)  Actually, they do, but those in such remote areas are often permitted to burn.

Question 9

Which side of a forest is at greater risk of wildfire in northwestern U.S.and southwestern Canada?

Accepted Answer

A)  northeast 
B)  southeast 
C)  northwest 
D)  southwest 
E)  south 
A)  northeast 
B)  southeast 
C)  northwest 
D)  southwest 
E)  south

Question 10

Which of the following techniques are NOT used to fight fires?

Accepted Answer

A)  digging firebreaks by hand or bulldozer 
B)  igniting a burnout ahead of the main fire to remove fuel in front of the fire 
C)  planes or helicopters dumping loads of water 
D)  planes dumping loads of borate retardant just ahead of the fire 
E)  igniting a fire close to the wildfire to burn the area between it and the wildfire 
A)  digging firebreaks by hand or bulldozer 
B)  igniting a burnout ahead of the main fire to remove fuel in front of the fire 
C)  planes or helicopters dumping loads of water 
D)  planes dumping loads of borate retardant just ahead of the fire 
E)  igniting a fire close to the wildfire to burn the area between it and the wildfire

Question 11

What are the main causes of forest fires?

Accepted Answer

A)  lightning strikes, downed power lines and human carelessness 
B)  lightning strikes, downed power lines, and prescribed burns 
C)  downed power lines, arson, and prescribed burns 
D)  arson, prescribed burns, and human carelessness 
E)  downed power lines, prescribed burns, and human carelessness 
A)  lightning strikes, downed power lines and human carelessness 
B)  lightning strikes, downed power lines, and prescribed burns 
C)  downed power lines, arson, and prescribed burns 
D)  arson, prescribed burns, and human carelessness 
E)  downed power lines, prescribed burns, and human carelessness

Question 12

Which side of a forest is at greater risk in specific parts of the continent? Why?

Accepted Answer

In northern U.S.and southern Canada,in t

Question 13

Lightning strikes high on hills or mountains more commonly than in valley bottoms.Why do such lightning strikes often not produce major fires? Be specific.

Accepted Answer

Fire moves more easi

Question 14

Between 2001 and 2009,what percentage of California forest fires was lightning-caused?

Accepted Answer

A)  2 percent 
B)  5 percent 
C)  7 percent 
D)  13 percent 
E)  30 percent 
A)  2 percent 
B)  5 percent 
C)  7 percent 
D)  13 percent 
E)  30 percent

Question 15

Wildfires are beneficial to forests in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  thinning closely spaced trees. 
B)  reducing understory fuel. 
C)  permitting growth of different tree species and ages. 
D)  reducing insect infestations. 
E)  improving views. 
A)  thinning closely spaced trees. 
B)  reducing understory fuel. 
C)  permitting growth of different tree species and ages. 
D)  reducing insect infestations. 
E)  improving views.

Question 16

Why do grass,needles,and shrubs burn easier and faster than trees?

Accepted Answer

Large surface area c

Question 17

What effect can topography have on the spreading of a fire? What are the dangers of being upslope during a fire?

Accepted Answer

Canyons can funnel air,accelerate the fi

Question 18

How can new fires start a kilometer from a forest fire,without lightning,arson,carelessness,or prescribed burns? Where would that be?

Accepted Answer

New spot fires can s

Question 19

What are the three mechanisms by which fire ignites and progresses? Describe the mechanisms and how fire spreads.

Accepted Answer

Radiation,convection,and firebrands (or

Question 20

Why isn't the Forest Service's Smokey Bear mascot now used as much as it was in the past?

Accepted Answer

Aggressive fire suppression in recent de

Describe the best things to do if you are trapped by a fire.Where should you take shelter to protect yourself and why?

Why are fires more frequent and hotter now than they were several decades ago?

How is fire danger or risk now determined over large areas?

What is the principle cause of increased fire hazard to members of the public?

What is LEAST necessary to start and maintain a fire?

Why are fires more frequent and hotter now than they were several decades ago?

What aspect of roads is most important for evacuation in case of a forest fire?

Why do lightning strikes in high mountains often NOT produce major fires?

Which side of a forest is at greater risk of wildfire in northwestern U.S.and southwestern Canada?

Which of the following techniques are NOT used to fight fires?

What are the main causes of forest fires?

Which side of a forest is at greater risk in specific parts of the continent? Why?

Lightning strikes high on hills or mountains more commonly than in valley bottoms.Why do such lightning strikes often not produce major fires? Be specific.

Between 2001 and 2009,what percentage of California forest fires was lightning-caused?

Wildfires are beneficial to forests in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

Why do grass,needles,and shrubs burn easier and faster than trees?

What effect can topography have on the spreading of a fire? What are the dangers of being upslope during a fire?

How can new fires start a kilometer from a forest fire,without lightning,arson,carelessness,or prescribed burns? Where would that be?

What are the three mechanisms by which fire ignites and progresses? Describe the mechanisms and how fire spreads.

Why isn't the Forest Service's Smokey Bear mascot now used as much as it was in the past?

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Earthquake Prediction and Mitigation

Tsunami

Volcanoes: Tectonic Environments and Eruptions

Volcanoes: Hazards and Mitigation

Landslides and Other Downslope Movements

Sinkholes, Land Subsidence, and Swelling Soils

Weather, Thunderstorms, And Tornadoes

Climate Change

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Exam 16: Wildfires

Describe the best things to do if you are trapped by a fire.Where should you take shelter to protect yourself and why?

Why are fires more frequent and hotter now than they were several decades ago?

How is fire danger or risk now determined over large areas?

What is the principle cause of increased fire hazard to members of the public?

What is LEAST necessary to start and maintain a fire?

Why are fires more frequent and hotter now than they were several decades ago?

What aspect of roads is most important for evacuation in case of a forest fire?

Why do lightning strikes in high mountains often NOT produce major fires?

Which side of a forest is at greater risk of wildfire in northwestern U.S.and southwestern Canada?

Which of the following techniques are NOT used to fight fires?

What are the main causes of forest fires?

Which side of a forest is at greater risk in specific parts of the continent? Why?

Lightning strikes high on hills or mountains more commonly than in valley bottoms.Why do such lightning strikes often not produce major fires? Be specific.

Between 2001 and 2009,what percentage of California forest fires was lightning-caused?

Wildfires are beneficial to forests in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

Why do grass,needles,and shrubs burn easier and faster than trees?

What effect can topography have on the spreading of a fire? What are the dangers of being upslope during a fire?

How can new fires start a kilometer from a forest fire,without lightning,arson,carelessness,or prescribed burns? Where would that be?

What are the three mechanisms by which fire ignites and progresses? Describe the mechanisms and how fire spreads.

Why isn't the Forest Service's Smokey Bear mascot now used as much as it was in the past?

Natural Hazards and Disasters

Plate Tectonics and Physical Hazards

Earthquakes and Their Causes

Earthquake Prediction and Mitigation

Tsunami

Volcanoes: Tectonic Environments and Eruptions

Volcanoes: Hazards and Mitigation

Landslides and Other Downslope Movements

Sinkholes, Land Subsidence, and Swelling Soils

Weather, Thunderstorms, And Tornadoes

Climate Change

Streams And Flood Processes

Floods And Human Interactions

Waves,Beaches,And Coastal Erosion

Hurricanes and Nor’easters

Impact of Asteroids and Comets

The Future: Where Do We Go From Here?

Filters