Avoid the Flames
Page 4 of 6
DO NOT deploy in chimneys or saddles or in the bottom of a draw. Flames and convective heat are funneled into these areas (Figure 6).
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Figure 6: Chimneys and draws are poor sites for deploying fire shelters because flames and hot gases funnel through them.
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If you are on a road, DO NOT deploy where the road passes through a chimney, draw, or saddle. Move out of these areas before deploying (Figure 7). Large objects that will not burn, such as a large rock or pile of dirt, can act as barriers to heat if they are between you and the approaching flames.
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Figure 7: Stay out of draws even when deploying on a road. |
Open ridgetops can be effective deployment
sites because the convective heat and flames will generally continue
rising above them. Fire intensity often drops when a fire reaches a
ridge. Recommendations for staying away from fuels still apply (Figure
8).
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Figure 8: Broad ridgetops can offer effective deployment sites. Do not deploy in draws. |