Preventing the next fire: Proactive safety steps for homes and open land

Big Horn County has already seen several devastating blazes this spring following a dry winter, including the 1,900-acre Kane Fire near Lovell, several house fires in the Shell-Greybull area, and a recent out-of-control burn between Basin and Burlington. 

“Up in that area, you guys have already seen it ... yeah, it could be a vicious summer,” said Nick Hudson, PIO with the state Fire Marshal’s office. Senior Investigator Chris McDonald relayed that two house fires, one in Shell and one in Greybull, are still under investigation but are not suspicious in nature. 

With fire risk anticipated to be high moving forward, homeowners, farmers, ranchers and recreationists should all be aware of how best to prevent a fire, and how to safely handle one if it occurs. 

HOUSE FIRES

Many homes in the Big Horn Basin were built in the 1970s or before. 

“Older homes are actually usually built really, really well, as far as structurally,” Hudson said. “But you want to look at some of the electrical that’s in your house, because the electrical wiring standards were nothing like they are today. Not only that, like everything, it wears out over time.”

Hudson suggested homeowners could be proactive by checking their breakers for irregularities, looking for worn wires, and, if needed, calling an electrician. Another common problem for older homes is improper chimney installation, particularly with wood stoves, which places excessive heat on the building’s roof. 

Across the United States, kitchen fires are the most common for residential dwellings. 

“Most of that happens when people get distracted, when they’re trying to cook, or they just get things too hot, start a grease fire, and then it usually spreads on from there,” Hudson said. 

Another culprit in house fires is often overloaded outlets. In older homes, which sometimes only have one outlet per room, this is something to be cognizant of. Electrical cords on the floor should not be covered by rugs, fabric or furniture. 

“Everything that we buy now is all synthetic, including a lot of our furniture, that contains a lot of heavy plastic materials. A lot of the materials inside your house; furniture, carpeting, electronics, all of that is now byproducts of petroleum,” Hudson said. He reported that this has caused a decline in escape times. 

In, for example, the 70s, when natural fibers were more common in the home, a room and contents fire might have reached flashover - which can be as high as 1,800 to 2,000 ºF - in 15 to 20 minutes. In a modern home, that could be cut down to three to five minutes. The gases and smoke produced by today’s house fires can also be more harmful. 

Keep windows and doors clear of obstacles for safe exits. When evacuating a house fire, if it is possible to close the door behind you, it could prevent some damage. 

“A closed door will do an amazing job of keeping fire contained and keeping it from spreading throughout your house,” Hudson said. A smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm and fire extinguisher are all recommended to have on hand. A smoke alarm makes it 50% more likely to escape a house fire. 

For homes bordering wildlands, it is important to create a defensible space within 50 to 100 feet of structures. This means reducing fuels - keeping grass irrigated and low, shrubs and trees away from structures, and cut tree limbs 2.5 to three feet off the ground. Slow burning deciduous trees are safer than evergreens. Cleaning the gutters can also help reduce fuels. 

WILDLAND FIRES

“A lot of our wildfires are still human caused. This summer, depending on what the spring is going to be like, is going to be extremely dry. So you want to be very careful when you’re out recreating,” Hudson said. 

Never leave a fire unattended and always have a way to put it out. Recreational fires should be set at least 25 feet from combustible structures and contained. 

Accidental fires can be prevented by clearing around welding areas and burn barrels. Agricultural burns should be conducted in the morning. All fires that produce smoke should be called in to Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, 568-2324. Dispatch is able to relay any Red Flag warnings or hazardous conditions issued. 

“Call 911, if you have a fire that started accidentally, as soon as you possibly can,” Hudson said.