A primary factor in the latter appeared to be surprise of the sudden transition from surface fire to crown fire, leading to the development and adoption of LCES, an acronym for a four-point safety procedure to increase observance of the previous training protocols.
42.
The HFI also requires that communities within the " wildland urban interface " create " community wildfire protection plans . " Community wildfire protection plans designate areas adjacent to communities that should be thinned so that crown fires will not directly burn into communities.
43.
"In general, fire removes older vegetation, reducing surface fuel accumulations and greatly reducing the chances of a crown fire, " a type of blaze that races through the tops of tress with explosive force, said Michael Hilbruner, a U . S . Fire Service ecologist.
44.
Outside of providing shelter for some wildlife, the only notable role the trees play is serving as fuel in forest fires, dangerous match sticks that burn bottom up and tag bigger trees, generating crown fires the likes of which roared into Los Alamos this month.
45.
By contrast, what is now common in much of the country are thickets so dry and dense that fire can roar upward into the treetops, creating the kind of devastating crown fire seen in the worst of last year's blazes, in places like Los Alamos, and Hamilton, Mont.
46.
Dead and dying trees are a serious fire hazard . " You get a greater likelihood of a crown fire, " said Greg DeNitto, a forest health specialist in the U . S . Forest Service . " And when trees fall you get an increased fuel load on the ground.
47.
Propelled by gusts of wind and aided by temperatures in the high 90s, the Crown fire appeared to be headed toward huge stands of trees in the forest that were left dead and dry by infestations of bark beetles, leading fire officials to express concern that the blaze could get much worse.
48.
Someone finally vacuumed the rugs . " Ken Kietzer, a scientist with the California state parks, echoed the assessment, saying the fire appears to have worked out well for Mount San Jacinto State Park . " When the fire got into the park, it was for the most part not a crown fire.
49.
The so-called Crown fire, which burst into life on Tuesday afternoon near Acton, at the northern edge of the Angeles National Forest, consumed more than 10, 000 acres and two houses by late afternoon on Wednesday and was occupying the efforts of some 2, 300 firefighters backed by 16 air tankers and 21 helicopters.
50.
"It's definitely very active today, " said Joe Pasinato, a spokesman for the U . S . Forest Service, one of several agencies coordinating the battle against the Crown fire and another blaze known as the Foothill fire, which was sparked Saturday by a red-tailed hawk that was electrocuted by a power line and fell to earth in flames.
