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Wildfires

SmokeyBear.com - Get Your Smokey On - Only You Can Prevent Wildfires

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Fire Tornado

How do firefighters put out the wildfires?
Firefighters use a tool known as a pulaski. Its a combination of an ax and hoe used to dig a fireline. A fireline is a strip of land from which all brush and debris have been cleared to rob a wildfire of its fuel. Firefighters also use hotshots and smoke jumpers to clear a large path in a big circle around the fire so the blaze is contained in a ring of dirt. When the fire reaches this area, it runs out of fuel and starves to death. If the fire is too large, however, planes and helicopters fly overhead, dropping water and special chemicals that smother the flames. This pink, fire-retardant chemical is called sky jell-o.
Putting out a wildfire

Click Here to get the latest wildfire information.

Click Here for to get more wildfire information.

Click Here to see if there has been any recent wildfire activity across the U.S.

Wldfire Know the Lingo Wildfire

SURFACE FIRES - The most common type of wildfires, surface fires move slowly and burn along the forest floor, killing and damaging vegetation.

GROUND FIRES - These are usually started by lightning, ground fires burn on or below the forest floor through the root system.

CROWN FIRES - These fires spread by wind moving quickly along the tops of trees.

SANTA ANA WINDS - "Santa Ana" is the name given to the gusty northeast or east wind that occurs in Southern California during the fall and winter months. Santa Ana winds are often hot and very dry, greatly aggravating the fire danger in forests and bush lands.

CONFLAGRATION - A large and destructive fire, typically aggravated by strong winds that carry firebrands over natural or artificial barriers.

Click Here to learn about more wildfire facts!

Wildfire Wildfire Safety Tips Wildfire
BEFORE A WILDFIRE: Have a disaster plan. Know whether you’re in a wildfire prone area. Plant fire resistant shrubs and trees around your home. Have a garden hose that is long enough to reach around your home. Prepare a disaster supplies kit for your home and car. Include a first aid kit, canned food and a can opener, bottled water, battery-operated radio, flashlight, protective clothing and written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas, and water. Always listen to the radio and television for the latest information and instructions for your area.

DURING A WILDFIRE: If you’re advised to evacuate then do so immediately. Wear protective clothing and lock your home. Tell someone you left and where you are going. Choose a safe route away from fire hazards. Watch for changes in the speed and direction of fire and smoke.

AFTER A WILDFIRE: Stay away from wildfire areas until it is safe. 

For more great info see the full site here at Weather Whiz Kids 
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It is very important to prepare for both building fires and wild fires. Fires in buildings are very dangerous. Every year, about 5,000 people in this country are killed by building fires. FEMA has a Web site dedicated to teaching kids what to do about building fires. Look for the fire extinguisher at the bottom of the page to visit that Web site.
One of the most important things to remember is that your house should have a working smoke detector. Look around your house to see if you have a smoke detector on every floor in the house. Get help from a parent or adult to check if your smoke detectors are working. Check also to see if your family has a working fire extinguisher.
Your family should have a fire plan of how to escape from your house if it is on fire. If you are caught in a fire REMEMBER, stay low to the ground where the smoke is not so heavy. NEVER hide during a fire. Always get out. And once you are out, stay out. DO NOT go back for a toy. Tell an adult if there is a person left behind in the burning house.
Wildfires are a danger for people who live in forest, prairies or wooded areas. These fires are sometimes started by lightning or by accident. They can move very fast and burn many acres. Remember, if there is a wildfire near you and your family is told to evacuate -- go right away! And remember to bring your pets with you!
How to Protect Your Home From Disasters Photos USFA Kids Page Pets and Disasters

Read all the information on the Fema for Kids Website
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Urwin and Wufi's Adventure with Wildfire

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Urwin and Wufi's Adventure was created by Gary Cornwell and Fred May of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

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Great Links at the Smithsonian

Formation and Evolution of the Earth and Solar System

This Dynamic Planet
An interactive map lets you explore 1,500 volcanoes, 44,000 earthquakes, 170 impact craters, and all the tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust. If a volcano erupts, or the crust trembles, you can find the event on this map. The back of the map would make a great poster for the classroom.

Geologic Time
Travel through 4.6 billion years of life's history on Earth and get a sense of the interplay between Earth and life processes.

Human Culture and Diversity

Human Evolution in 3D
Students can examine 3D renderings of skulls from humans and their biological ancestors at this site developed by the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Nutrients for Humanity
In the Humanity Against Hunger web module, students become volunteers to help solve the severe food shortage faced in Africa. Through the interactive experience, students learn how nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous deficiencies can stunt plant growth in different ways. They also learn how replenishing the land with fertilizer can help farmers achieve higher yields of crops to feed more.

Kids Web Team
This program brings facts about plant nutrients (N, P and K) to life through a series of advanced interactive activities and a game show. Ideal for science classes grades 5 — 8, the program keeps students' attention with fast-paced movement and easy-to-understand material.

It’s Elementary
If students think soil science is boring, they should try this! The program contains three online games, lessons and facts to teach your students, grades K through 5, the importance of N, P and K. Best of all, the fun, comic format is guaranteed to capture both their attention and imagination.

Discovering and Understanding Life's Diversity

Coral Reef Interactive
This web-based tool is designed for students to take on the persona of a local resident, a hotel manager, or a tourist. In these roles, they weigh the interdependence between the economic and social impact of human activity and the biological needs of a coral reef and its conservation.

North American Mammals
There is a web page for every species on the continent with great images of mammals, audio recordings, range maps, scientific illustrations, a glossary, and an interactive map that lets students create field guides for anywhere in Canada, the U.S.A. and Mexico. Mammals are searchable by location, by name, and family tree. Special information on conservation of endangered species is also provided.

Mammal Family Reunion Designed for ages 11 and up, the Mammal Family Reunion interactive website allows students to explore questions about mammals.

Life of a Vertebrate Fossil
In this interactive, students follow a field team's experience as they discover, excavate, transport, study, and display a vertebrate fossil.

Virtual Dinosaur Exhibit
In this online exhibit, students can explore 3D models of specimens from the Museum’s collections and learn more about how fossils are discovered, unearthed, and preserved.

Virtual Dinosaur Dig In this interactive simulation, students can find and excavate a specimen and learn about its anatomy, where it lived, what it ate, and how large it was. They can also see a recreation of what the specimen might have looked like with skin and muscle tissue.

Tree of Life Interactive The Tree of Life is an interactive phylogeny that represents the evolutionary history of vertebrates. Students can see at which different species evolved in history and learn about species that exemplify important branches of the vertebrate evolutionary tree.

Expedition to Galapagos
The Museum produced the 3D IMAX Film Galapagos, starring fishes curator Carole Baldwin. Students can explore the film’s website, including new species found in the Galapagos, a Q&A with Carole, and her personal journal and photo log.

Collections Database
Students can search the database to conduct virtual research on the Museum’s collections to make their own comparisons, using information and photos of the specimens in the collections.