Fire Archives - Kowalski Heat Treating

“Only you can prevent forest fires.” –Smokey T. Bear

Like you, I’ve been enjoying these wonderful days of spring/summer – blue skies, warm sun and magnificent sunsets. When the weather is like this, even the house chores don’t seem so bad, as I head out and soak up “some rays”, taking in the fresh air while tending the lawn and gardens, making time for the grandkids, walks with Jackie and getting in few “rounds” now and then. Recently though, we’ve experienced something that’s not often a part of NE Ohio – smoke from wildfires up in Canada. Cloudy, hazy skies, thick air, and “particles” to be concerned with. While not a super fun topic (those deviled eggs were good, weren’t they!!?), I thought it good we all learn a little more about forest fires and their impact. The pictures from New York City are amazing! As always, be SUPER careful with any fire pit or camping activity, use common sense. – many communities have implemented fire bans altogether, especially in Canada!!. Many thanks to Google, WHO and chat.openai.com and YouTube for the insights. Enjoy, and be careful!

The terms “wildfire” and “forest fire” are often used interchangeably, and there is no strict delineation between the two, as both refer to uncontrolled fires that spread across vegetation and can cause significant damage.
“Wildfire” is a broader term that encompasses any uncontrolled fire in natural environments, including forests, grasslands, shrublands, and other types of vegetation. It emphasizes the wild and uncontrolled nature of the fire. “Forest fire,” on the other hand, specifically refers to fires that occur within forested areas, highlighting the dominant vegetation type affected. The terms “wildfire” and “forest fire” may be used differently depending on the regional or cultural context. Show video of each.
A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland, or prairie. Wildfires are often caused by human activity or a natural phenomenon such as lightning, and they can happen at any time or anywhere. In 50% of wildfires recorded, it is not known how they started.
Over the past 25 years, wildfires and volcanic activities affected over 7 million people between nearly 3,000 attributable deaths worldwide from suffocation, injuries, and burns.
California alone spends over 1 billion dollars per year, with additional billions provided by the Federal Government. So far this year, nearly 1.4 million square miles in Canada have been impacted, costing nearly 500 million dollars to control in equipment and manpower. Thinning of the underbrush along with “controlled burns” has proven to have a significant positive impact on the prevention / minimization of damage.
Many ecosystems benefit from periodic fires, because they clear out dead organic material—and some plant and animal populations require the benefits fire brings to survive and reproduce.Jul 15, 2022

The Ecological Benefits of Fire – National Geographic Society

Do forest fires improve soil?
Soil fertility can increase after low intensity fires since fire chemically converts nutrients bound in dead plant tissues and the soil surface to more available forms or the fire indirectly increases mineralization rates through its impacts on soil microorganisms (Schoch and Binkley 1986).

FUELING THE SPREAD
Fuel: The availability and arrangement of fuel, such as dry vegetation, dead leaves, branches, and trees, play a crucial role in wildfire spread. Dense vegetation, accumulated dead fuels, and flammable materials provide ample fuel for the fire to consume and spread quickly.

Weather Conditions: Weather conditions significantly influence wildfire behavior. High temperatures, low humidity levels, and strong winds create an environment conducive to rapid fire spread. Dry and hot conditions evaporate moisture from vegetation, making it more susceptible to ignition. Strong winds not only fan the flames but also carry burning embers over long distances, igniting new areas ahead of the main fire.

Topography: The shape and features of the land can impact how a wildfire spreads. Steep slopes can aid in the rapid movement of flames, as the fire preheats and dries out vegetation in its path. Canyons and valleys can act as chimneys, intensifying fire behavior by channeling winds and increasing fire spread.

Ignition Sources: The source of ignition also influences how quickly a wildfire spreads. Human-caused ignitions, such as discarded cigarettes or sparks from equipment, often occur in proximity to flammable materials, increasing the chances of rapid-fire spread. Natural ignitions, like lightning strikes, can also initiate wildfires in remote areas with ample fuel.

Fuel Moisture Content: The moisture content of vegetation affects its flammability. Dry or drought-affected vegetation is more prone to ignition and faster fire spread. Lack of recent rainfall and prolonged dry spells increase the fuel moisture deficit, making the vegetation more susceptible to burning and facilitating rapid fire growth.

Fire Suppression Challenges: Difficult terrain, limited access, and remote locations can impede firefighting efforts, allowing the fire to grow unchecked for longer periods. Delays in detection, communication, and resource deployment also impacts the effectiveness of initial fire response, along with needed water and suppressants.

PREVENTION
The World Health Organization (WHO) works with Member States to build resilient and proactive health systems that can anticipate the needs and challenges during emergencies so that they are more likely to reduce risks and respond effectively when needed. As the health cluster lead for global emergencies, WHO works with partners to in preparing, preventing, detecting, responding, and recovering from emergencies and disasters, including early warning systems, park policies, heatlh and air quality advisories and emergency response plans.

Governments, communities, and individuals can take measures to mitigate the risks associated with wildfires. This includes implementing fire-safe building codes, establishing evacuation plans, increasing public awareness about fire safety, and investing in early warning systems and firefighting resources.

Smokey the Bear helped us learn our role – Multiple commercials

Eddie Arnold song

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I. Love. My. Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good. :-))))
Have fun!!

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Fire hydrants are important in any community. But they are also kind of funny looking. And with a little imagination they can really be something else!!! :))))))) Trivia follows…read-on!

Recently, out walking with Jackie the other night in the small village I live in, I noticed a whole bunch of new construction improvement projects going on. New bridges being built, roadways getting resurfaced, condos going up and new hiking paths connecting our beautiful parks to the lakefront. I also noticed something I never really pay much attention to – someone had repainted all the fire hydrants along the road – all the rust and old paint was gone, now shimmering with a nice navy-blue color on the bottom and a clean white cap on the top. It got me to look a little closer at the hydrants – and I realized I really didn’t know much about the history or design of these vital city assets. Not much technology here – cast iron pipes with valves, chains and bolts. Although my entire career has been spent working with stuff like this. It’s always fascinating how stuff is made! Back at the ranch I searched the web, I collected some fun information, and uncovered some very cool inventors/designers whose original designs (pretty much what we have today) date back to the early days of our country’s founding. Special thanks to American-usa.com, bmefire.com, YouTube, asme.org and Wikipedia.com for the info. Enjoy!

Fun tune while reading

Because I love his name, I would like to be able to share that Birdsill Holly, Jr. (holder of 150 patents, second only to Thomas Edison), is universally recognized as the inventor of the fire hydrant (he was something of a heat expert using steam). But, while the National Inventors Hall of Fame credits him as the inventor of the “modern-day fire hydrant,” the origins of the fire hydrant precede him, dating to the early 19th century in Philadelphia, where engineer Frederick Graff, Sr., may well have designed the first of them.
As far as historians know, Frederick Graff, Sr., Chief Engineer of the Philadelphia Water Works, was the inventor of the fire hydrant. They think he received a patent for his ground-breaking invention in 1801, and suspect he is the person to thank for protecting countless homes and communities from the ravages of an uncontrolled fire. (the reason they don’t know for certain is because the evidence relating to the firefighting technology was destroyed … wait for it … yup, by fire!)
If only this innovative firefighting system had been in operation near the U.S. Patent Office on December 15, 1836, we might not have to wonder about the true inventor of the fire hydrant. On that day, a fire broke out in the building where all U.S. patents were stored. An estimated 9,957 patents were destroyed in the blaze, wiping out official evidence of inventors’ contributions and rights to technological progress, including all records pertaining to the true inventor of the fire hydrant.
The government sought to restore its records. Many patent holders came forward with their copies of the official paperwork, and from those copies, the official records were recreated. Unfortunately, out of the 9,957 patents that were destroyed, only 2,845 were able to be restored. All patents on record from prior to the 1836 fire are officially classified as “X-Patents.”
The deployment of water-containing caldrons for use in firefighting reaches back to ancient China. Using the same approach, scattered cisterns (storage vessels) stored water in colonial American cities to battle blazes. Hollowed wooden logs provided underground main water lines (like the lines we still have today).
The term “fire plug” dates from the time when water mains were made from hollowed out logs. The fire company (usually volunteers) would head out to the fire, dig up the cobbles in the road down to the main water line, then bore a hole into the main so that the excavation would fill with water which they could draft using their pumper. When finished fighting the fire, they’d seal the main with — you guessed it — a “fire plug”. The next time there was a fire in the neighborhood, they’d dig up the plug and not have to cut into the main.
In London, after the Great Fire of 1666, water mains were preemptively equipped with holes and plugs that were accessed above ground. In many places, wood mains gave way cast iron replacements, which began to be outfitted at intervals with branched fittings that drew water from the mains, acting like underground hydrants.
In about 1801, where someone at the Philadelphia Water Works–most likely Frederick Graff, its senior engineer–created the first “post” or “pillar” hydrant, which rose above ground. It was topped with a valve and featured an outlet that acted as a faucet but also could be attached to a hose. Water was always present in its “wet barrel”. To prevent freezing and bursting in cold climate locales “dry barrel” hydrants were later designed in which the hydrant remained empty until it was necessary to access the water flowing beneath the frost line.
Prior to the invention of the fire hydrant, fight-fighting techniques consisted of maintaining large cauldrons of water in strategic locations near population centers or filling underground tanks with water, both systems entirely dependent on whether sufficient water had been stored up to combat whatever nearby fire might break out. The fire hydrant was revolutionary in that it allowed for a continuous flow of water, guaranteeing that firefighters would not run out before the blaze was fully quenched.
In 1802, the first order for cast iron hydrants was placed with cannon maker company named Foxall & Richards, who used cast iron to make them. In 1803, Frederick Graff Sr. introduced an improved version of the fire hydrant with the valve in the lower portion. These were inserted into wooden mains with a tapering joint. In 1811, Philadelphia claimed to have 230 wooden hydrant pumps and 185 cast iron fire hydrants. See different barrel designs here
Today, many valves and hydrants are produced by AMERICAN Flow Control, all are provided with 2-D bar codes. Using an app called AFC Mapper, these bar codes can be scanned by an iOS or Android smart phone or tablet. The app works to integrate the information on the AFC 2D barcodes to help water utilities automate mapping functions, locate and manage assets, and improve field operations efficiency.
Using the app, field personnel have quick access to information such as fire hydrant thread specs, or the depth of bury of their hydrant. This information is invaluable in troubleshooting a problem or planning for future changes and/or system expansion.
This information is critical to the utility technician trying to troubleshoot a problem or locate a valve or hydrant. Take for instance, a weather-related event like Hurricane Katrina or Sandy – these storms literally changed the landscape of the affected areas forever. Locating the valve or hydrant and having access to previous records, as well as all of the manufacturing attributes proved to be a real difference-maker during those instances.
Brief History of fire trucks