October 2023

forts is the prevailing winds that have the right
combustibles to burn.”
“That interface is becoming more and
more blurred by putting more of our
people in, and on the edge of, nature.
We’re invading space set aside for nature,
and we have plans to do more of
that. It’s the American working class
dream to have land, and how cool is
it when it backs onto a forest or waterway?
But there are issues with that,
and we’re seeing them now,” added
Grymes. “A growth of suburbia into undeveloped
landscapes has occurred, but
they aren’t a problem as such until they start
to infringe upon neighborhoods and the people
We need more
capabilities for local
fire departments to expand
their equipment to be able
to fight these fires where they
start, which is normally off
the road and away from fire
hydrants. Simply speaking,
being able to put it out
before it becomes
large.
within them. That threat will increase because
we’re putting more developments on those
undeveloped areas. So, the human threat
becomes more significant than it used
to be, as there’s no such thing as a natural
disaster, as human factors play a
big part. We see homes damaged and
destroyed, and we see evacuations.
That’s because humans are getting
into Mother Nature’s path.”
Although the Tiger Island fire is being
reported as caused by arson, a fire’s
a fire, and the effects don’t care how it
started. It spread quickly, and with a fervor
firefighters haven’t often seen. It was an
enormous blaze with even bigger consequences
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LMR | OCTOBER 2023