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Friday 21 July 2017

[UPDATED-2017] 13 Critical Wildfire Survival Tips To Keep You Safe

In 2016 alone, there were over 65,575 fires wildfires in the United States. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, these fires destroyed over 5 million acres of land SCORCHED!
Wildfires are a serious threat. They destroy large areas of land and can kill the people and animals living on them. Your family needs to know what to do before, during and after a wildfire.
How to Survive a Wildfire
Every year, wildfires burn through more than a million acres of woodland. They can spring from cigarettes, matches, sparks from a train’s exhaust, or campfires. The sad thing is that 90% of the time, humans cause wildfires.
Whether wildfires are man-made or natural disasters is subject to discussion but our concern as a prepper community is to prevent these from happening. Losing your property or family to this kind of disaster is just as difficult as any other unexpected accident or emergency.
Wildfire survival is a shared responsibility. Nobody wants to be caught in the middle of a large fire, let alone deal with the damage after. Like we always say, preparedness is the key.

[Video] Wildfire Preparedness & Prevention Tips:


Defensible Space and Wildfires

Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
Increase your chases of surviving a a wildfire by leaving a space between your house and the wildland area. Via napafirewise.org
For natural catastrophes, it’s important to consider the concept of “defensible space”. From a wildfire perspective, a defensible space is an area around a structure where wood and vegetation are treated, cleared, or reduced to slow the spread of flames towards a structure. Having a defensible space will also provide room to work for those fighting the fire.
The amount of defensible space you’ll need depends on whether you’re on flat land or on a steep slope. Flatland fires spread more slowly than a fire on a slope (hot air and flames rise). A fire on a steep slope with wind blowing uphill spreads fast and produces “spot fires”. These are small fires that ignite vegetation ahead of the main burn, due to small bits of burning debris in the air.
You’ll want to thin out those thick canopied trees near your house. Any nearby tree within 50 feet on flatland, or 200 feet if downhill from your retreat on top of the mountain, needs to be thinned, so that you’re pruning branches off below 10-12 feet high, and separating them by 10-20 feet. Also, eliminate all shrubs at the base of the trunks. Read more

Is Your Home Built of Flame-Resistant Materials?

However, more modern homes should – and usually are – built out of flame resistant materials in high wildfire areas. Still, if you’re building or remodeling and live in such a zone, remember that roof construction is extremely important (go with metal, tile, or slate).
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Beyond that, it might also be a good idea to consider brickstone, and concrete, as they are all more resistant to fire than wood. Still, there are commercial fire retardants that can be used on wood, if needed.
There is more to think about regarding your home than construction, however. For example, try to keep the amount of fuel (propane tanks, for example) near your home and/or property to a minimum.
Beyond this, breaks in fire fuel – often termed firebreaks – are smart to have around neighborhoods and/or homes. Basically, these encompass a stretch of land with nothing that can burn on it.
Read more here.

How to Prevent a Wildfire

Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
In wildfire survival, prevention is better than the cure. Via USDA
• Contact 911, your local fire department, or the park service if you notice an unattended or out-of-control fire.
• Never leave a campfire unattended. Completely extinguish the fire—by dousing it with water and stirring the ashes until cold – before sleeping or leaving the campsite.
• When camping, take care when using and fueling lanterns, stoves, and heaters. Make sure lighting and heating devices are cool before refueling. Avoid spilling flammable liquids and store fuel away from appliances.
• Do not discard cigarettes, matches, and smoking materials from moving vehicles, or anywhere on park grounds. Be certain to completely extinguish cigarettes before disposing of them.
• Follow local ordinances when burning yard waste. Avoid backyard burning in windy conditions, and keep a shovel, water, and fire retardant nearby to keep fires in check. Remove all flammables from yard when burning. Continue reading.

Before a Wildfire

To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan. (Read more.)

1. Create an emergency plan.

Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
Having an emergency plan is a good way towards wildfire survival. Via cdc.gov. Click here for larger image.
  • Assemble an emergency supply kit and place it in a safe spot. Remember to include important documents, medications and personal identification.
  • Develop an emergency evacuation plan and practice it with everyone in your home.
  • Plan two ways out of your neighborhood and designate a meeting place. Click here for the full post.

2. Exercise caution as the wildfire approaches.

  • Follow the evacuation plan and keep calm. Do not panic.
  • Wear long sleeved clothes, cotton or wool, to protect your face and body from heat, hot ash and falling debris.
  • Shut off all gas appliances as well as the main gas valve to your home. Remove as much of the flammable materials as possible from within the home, garage, basement and attic.
Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
When a wildfire is imminent, turn off the gas supply to reduce the chances of explosion. Via socalgas.com
  • Check other on-property structures such as sheds and barns.
  • Turn on the lawn sprinklers and all water faucets to salvage the house as much as possible. To read the whole article, click here.

During a Wildfire

1. Limit exposure to smoke and dust.

Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
Wildfire survival is also about protecting your body from the harmful smoke. Via nmhealth.org
  • Listen and watch for air quality reports and health warnings about smoke.
  • Keep indoor air clean by closing windows and doors to prevent outside smoke from getting in.
  • Use the recycle or re-circulate mode on the air conditioner in your home or car. If you do not have air conditioning and it is too hot to stay inside with closed windows, seek shelter elsewhere.
  • When smoke levels are high, do not use anything that burns and adds to indoor air pollution, such as candles, fireplaces and gas stoves. Do not vacuum because it stirs up particles that are already inside your home.
  • If you have asthma or another lung disease, follow your health care provider’s advice and seek medical care if your symptoms worsen. Read more.

2. Prepare to escape.

  • Choose downhill, not uphill routes if possible. Fire moves faster uphill due to updrafts.
  • Select areas without fuel for fire: barren, plowed fields; riverbeds; ponds; rocky areas, etc.
  • Stay away from dry, arid fuel potential, such as dead leaves, dry weedy fields, dead trees, etc.
  • Survivors have described trees exploding from heat. In Australia, the fires allegedly temperatures of 1,200 degrees – enough to cause dry fuel to burst into flames, even before the fire reached the area.
  • Leafy trees burn more slowly than evergreen trees. Some trees and bushes, like eucalyptus, contain flammable oils that cause burning to intensify. Try to select a route that is less flammable, if possible. If you must choose a wooded area as your escape route, pick leafy trees over pines.
  • If you can’t escape, seek shelter in the ground. Scary as it sounds to let the flames roar by you, sometimes out distancing a fire is impossible and this becomes a better live saving option.
  • Find a cave, barren crevice, drainage pipe or an underground hole. Lay low and curled up. Cover any exposed skin (including face) to keep thermal burns at a minimum. This will also help reduce smoke inhalation. If you live in or are visiting a high wildfire threat area, consider a fire blanket for emergencies.
  • Dig a trench to lie in. Cover your body with a foot of soil. This is dangerous as fire consumes oxygen and can suffocate you. Only do this as a last resort. However, some have survived using this dire tactic. Lay face down. Try to create a small pocket under your face to trap oxygen. Hold your breath and keep eyes closed when fire passes over you.
  • If you have time as you evacuate, choose cotton clothing and shed nylon apparel. Nylon has a very low melting point. If you are close to a fire or intense heat, nylon can melt onto your skin.
  • If you are near water (lake, river, swimming pool) submerge as much as possible. Try to avoid coming to the surface when fire passes, as the heat can sear your lungs.
Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
When there is no other choice, run away from the fire. Via The Times
  • After the fire passes, proceed upwind, against the direction the fire is moving and where the fire has already burned through the natural fuel in its path.
  • Seek emergency help as soon as possible. It’s likely you’ll have thermal burns that need to be treated or may be dehydrated, suffering from smoke inhalation or in shock. See more

3. Know how to react if you’re trapped in your vehicle.

  • Stay calm.
  • Park your vehicle in an area clear of vegetation.
  • Close all vehicle windows and vents.
Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
When you are trapped in a car, close all windows and vents. Via wikihow
  • Cover yourself with wool blanket or jacket.
  • Lie on vehicle floor.
  • Use your cell phone to advise officials. Call 911.

4. Know how to react if you’re caught in the open.

  • The best temporary shelter is in an area without fuel for fire. On a steep mountainside, the back side is safer. Avoid canyons, natural “chimneys” and saddles.
Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
If you want to survive a wildfire, it is best to stay away from the brush. Via theguardian
  • If a road is nearby, lie face down along the road cut or in the ditch on the uphill side. Cover yourself with anything that will shield you from the fire’s heat.
  • If hiking in the back country, seek a depression with sparse fuel. Clear fuel away from the area while the fire is approaching and then lie face down in the depression and cover yourself. Stay down until after the fire passes! Read more.

5. Know how to react if you’re trapped at home.

Those who find themselves trapped by wildfire inside their homes should stay inside and away from outside walls. Close doors, but leave them unlocked. Keep the entire Family together, and remain calm. Continue reading.

6. Know what to do if you’re asked to go.

If you choose to go or if officials ask you to leave, it’s time to put your family’s planning into practice:
  • Don’t panic; remember your family’s evacuation plan.
Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
An evacuation plan increases your chance of wildfire survival. Via firesafetyandsuppression.com
  • Grab your family’s “To Go Kit,” including your Financial First Aid Kit.
  • Prepare your pets to travel with you.
  • Turn off gas so you can prevent an explosion.
  • Leave garden tools attached to outside faucets to assist fire fighters if necessary.
  • Drive with your headlights on so other evacuees can see you through any smoke.
  • Be sure to follow directions of law enforcement at all times.
  • Keep your car windows rolled up to prevent embers from entering your vehicle.
  • Choose the safest route. Watch for changes in fire and smoke direction.
  • Keep a close eye on your pets and monitor their reaction to any smoke.

7. Evacuate!

Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
For your wildfire survival, authorities would encorage you to leave the premises. Via foxnews.com
This is the simplest step. Go… Evacuate early, before the fire arrives. By leaving early, you give your family the best chance of surviving a wildfire, while helping firefighters by keeping roads clear of congestion, enabling them to move more freely and do their job. Read more

After a Wildfire

Wildfire Survival Tips: How to Survive Natural Disasters by Survival Life at http://survivallife.com/2015/06/15/wildfire-survival-tips-how-to-survive-natural-disasters
Exercise caution even after the fire. Via summitdaily.com
  • Don’t return home until you’re told it’s safe to do so.
  • Check roofs and attics for hot spots or sparks and extinguish them immediately. Continue checking every few hours for a day.
  • Use caution when entering a building and avoid all standing water. It may have an electrical charge.
  • Check over all utilities and consult a professional if damage has been done. See more.
Editors Note:  This article was originally published  Jun 15, 2015 and has been updated for quality and relevancy 

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For further information log on website :
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3 Quick Tips To Identify Dry Firewood



identifying dry firewood
When you need a fire the most, conditions are often the worst for it.
But if you don’t have properly seasoned wood, building a good fire can be incredibly hard.
Using wet wood to get a fire going will leave you cold and frustrated…regardless of how much effort you put into it.
Even if you do get a fire going (which in a survival situation is better than nothing) your fire will be inefficient and will require much more maintenance to see it through the night.
The reason why it won’t burn is that the water contained in the wood is absorbing the heat, preventing the wood from absorbing enough heat to ignite.
As heat continues to be applied to the wood, the water turns to vapor, absorbing a huge quantity of heat in the process. It isn’t until this process is finished that the hydrocarbon gasses start leaving the wood so that they can then catch fire.
Basically your best bet is to make sure that you have the driest tinder, kindling, and fuel possible.
It’s one thing if you have a cord of wood neatly stacked out in your woodshed, but how do you find dry wood in the wild?
Blow are three quick tips you can use in a pinch.

The Snap Method

  • The Premise: Dry kindling is devoid of a high water content and will snap easily instead of bending.
  • How to Do It: Take your smaller bits of kindling no thicker than your thumb and grasp them at both ends. Pull the ends toward the middle. The kindling should snap in the middle.
  • What to Look For: Twigs, sticks and other kindling that snaps cleanly and easily and is an indicator of dry kindling.

The Percussion Method

  • The Premise: As wood dries out, it’s acoustical properties change.
  • How to Do It: Grab two sample pieces of wood at one end and let them dangle, one from each hand. Swing the bottom ends together and listen to the sound at impact.
  • What to Look For: Dry wood will “ring” or “bank” when they hit each other. Wet wood, however, will issue a dull thud on impact.

Cracking the Code

  • The Premise: As fuel wood pieces dry, the wood fiber shrinks, which causes visible radius cracks to open up on the ends of the wood.
  • How to Do It: Examine the ends of a sample piece, looking for cracks that radiate from the core to the bark.
  • What to Look For: Big, deep radius cracks are a good indicator of well-seasoned wood.
Note: This is the least reliable indicator, as the cracks won’t close back up if the seasoned wood is subsequently allowed to  re-absorb rainwater.
The first step to starting any good fire is finding your firewood… these tips will help you pick the right wood to start your fire, but do you know the best place to look for it (hint: it’s not that pile of brush on the ground)?
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Check out this video from my buddy Craig Caudill that gives you a new perspective on where to look for firewood:


I hope you never have to use these methods, but if you’re ever put in a situation where you need them, you’ll be glad to know them.
Have  your own method to tell if your firewood is seasoned?
Share it with us in the comments below.
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20 Quick, Easy and Savory Campfire Recipes

20 campfire recipes
Do campfire recipes really have to consist of burgers and corn on the cob every night? We don’t think so. These easy recipes are guaranteed to amp up your next camping trip.

20 Quick, Easy and Savory Campfire Recipes

Don’t just settle for burgers and hot dogs! We like to mix things up and try out exciting and unconventional recipes. Whether you prepare your meals beforehand or start from scratch on site, camping and survival food no longer have to be lame. These are easy campfire meals that are sure to please on your next camping trip. Plus, if you can master cooking while camping, you’ll have an invaluable skill to use when the SHTF.

Before you plan your next camping trip, or bug out, be sure to check out these easy recipes. You’ll be glad you have these camping trip meal ideas when you’re in the outdoors.
Here are 20 of our favorite recipes for everything from simple dinner meals, to sweet desserts, to things to snack on in-between meals. To see the full recipe, simply click the blue “via” link under the photo.
1. Bacon Baked Beans
Bacon Baked Beans Campfire Recipes
What more do you need when camping besides bacon and baked beans to make a delicious meal? Add some BBQ sauce and this dish will be a crowd-pleaser. Find out how to get started via Year Zero Survival.
2. Roasted Cinnamon Rolls
Roasted Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
All you need is a tube of cinnamon rolls, a stick and a campfire to enjoy this easy recipe. It’s great for breakfast, brunch or dessert. Mix it up and use biscuits or rolls for a dinner side dish. Check out the instructions via Whimsy Love.
3. Cheesy Dutch Oven Potatoes
Easy Campfire Recipes | Cheesy Dutch Oven Potatoes
Grab some potatoes, bacon, cheese and onions, and soon you’ll be salivating over this dish. Make sure to bring your dutch oven, too. If that’s not convenient, try making it in some tin foil over the fire. Find the details via One Sweet Appetite.
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4. Sunrise Breakfast Bowl
Sunrise Baked Bowls
Take the hassle out of campfire cooking with this easy breakfast dish. Put together bread, eggs, bacon and butter, and this breakfast bowl is complete. Get started via Tony Spilsbury.
Homemade Recipe
5. Blueberry Orange Muffins
Camping
Get ready to transform a normal orange into a tasty treat that will surprise the whole family. What appears to be just a simple orange, is actually a blueberry orange muffin after some time in tin foil over the fire. Follow the instructions via Apron Springs.
6. Biscuit Campfire Donuts
Biscuit Donuts Recipe
Turn your favorite biscuit dough into a sweet and satisfying donut. In just a few simple steps, this dish can be your breakfast on any camping trip. Find out how to make them via The Touring Camper.
7. Coconut Curry Soup
Coconut Curry Soup Camping
Prepare this meal before your camping trip, and throw it in your backpack. When you’re ready to eat, just add water and boil. It’s a simple recipe that’ll taste like a home-cooked meal. Get the ingredients via Dirty Gourmet.
8. Campurritos
Campurritos burritos
You can make this dish before you head out into the woods or prepare it once you’ve picked your camping spot. Either way, the campurritos make for a heart dish that leave you satisfied. Follow the instructions via Copy Me That.
9. Campfire Paella
Paella While Camping
With one pan you can create this flavorful dish while camping outdoors. Use your favorite protein and add your favorite spices for the best paella dish. Check out the details via Y Travel.
10. Hot Whiskey
Hot Whiskey Campfire
For cold nights out camping, you need a drink recipe that will warm you up. This simple recipe requires only some whiskey, boiled water, lemon and clover. Add honey if you want to add some sweetness. Find the step-by-step instructions via Y Travel.
11. Curly Dogs
Recipes For Camping | Curly Dogs
It isn’t a true camping trip without hot dogs roasted over the fire. Mix it up a bit by wrapping your hot dogs in dinner rolls to create fire-roasted pigs on a blanket. Find out how via Rhodes Bread.
12. Sausage and Fennel Grilled Campfire Pizza
Sausage and Fennel Grilled Pizza Over Campfire
Pizza might not be the most common camping food, but with the right ingredients, it can be done. You just need dough, sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings. Cook it over the fire in a skillet. Get this simple recipe via The Bald Gourmet.
13. Mixed Mushroom Hobo Pack
Mixed Hobo Pack
Easy foil campfire recipes are great for your outdoor trips. With parchment paper and foil, you can cook just about anything over a fire. This delicious mixed mushroom recipe will complement your stay in the great outdoors. Find out what you need via Martha Stewart.
14. Dutch Oven Caramel Apple Pie
Dutch Oven | Caramel Apple Pie
Don’t forget to bring the right ingredients for dessert. If you want to go all out, give this caramel apple pie a try. It’ll be a tasty treat the whole family enjoys around the campfire. Get the recipe via Rhodes Bread.
15. Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Grilled Pineapple In Foil Over Fire
Use tin foil to make this pineapple upside down cake after dinner. This recipe requires just a few ingredients and bakes quickly. Get the instructions via Echoes of Laughter.
16. Poundcake S’mores
S'mores
It’s not a true camping experience without s’mores. Mix it up with this poundcake s’mores recipe. Check out the recipe via JS Online.
17. Campfire Chicken Stew
Chicken Stew Over Fire
You don’t have to leave all the comforts of home behind when you go camping. With this recipe, you can have a bowl of warm chicken stew that’s made over the fire. It just might be the best food for camping trips. Get the instructions via Taste of Home.
18. Lamb Kebabs with Mint Pesto
Lamb Kebabs
Looking for a unique recipe to make on your next trek into the woods? Give this lamb kebabs recipe a try. Follow the step-by-step instructions via Bon Appetit.
19. Apple Pie On A Stick
Apple Pie
You don’t always need to use the proper utensils when camping. With this apple pie on a stick, you can leave the fork and knife behind. Get the recipe via KOA.
20. Campfire Cone
Kids Cone Camping
Combine some of your camping favorites in one dessert recipe. Add a little marshmallow, chocolate and even peanut butter to create this tasty treat. Get the recipe via Come Together Kids.
Master these quick campfire recipes and you’ll be way ahead of the game in an emergency survival situation! Being a campsite chef will make you your family’s SHTF VIP.

For awesome survival gear you can’t make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!

For further information log on website :
https://survivallife.com/campfire-recipes/

Advantages and Disadvantages of Fasting for Runners

Author BY   ANDREA CESPEDES  Food is fuel, especially for serious runners who need a lot of energy. It may seem counterintuiti...