Nation's Fire Problem

Nation's Fire Problem

Introduction

Developing countries are often the most vulnerable to the damaging impacts of fire, with its attendant loss of life and property, and destruction of natural resources. In Ethiopia and southern Sudan, fires destroy millions of hectares every year. Between 2000 and 2008, there were over 200 000 fire in Sudan. During the same period, the number of fires was more than doubled in Ethiopia. In early 2009 forest fires caused damage worth millions of U.S. dollars in California and in the Australian state of Victoria. Fires in the latter area in February killed 173 people, left 7,500 homeless and destroyed about 2,000 homes, charring an area of ??450 000 hectares. The total cost of fires for insurance could reach 1 500 million (Stephen, 2010).

Discussion

A fire prevention plan is an essential part of any prevention program accidents at work. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA, for its acronym in English) required by the business sector in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR its acronym in English) 29, Section 1910, subsections E - Exit Routes and Emergency Plans, L - Fire Protection and Q - Welding, Brazing and Oxy. Those standards require preparing a written plan which is communicated to all workers. Everyone can have easy access to the OSHA standards www.osha.gov . The goal of this publication is to provide businesses and work- workers responsible for the safety of the company some basic reports to investigate and prepare plans and fire prevention emergency preparedness. It will also provide useful in other situations emergency, including fires that may occur in homes. Remember OSHA standards represent the minimum protection (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2003).

Consequences of Forest Fires

Forest fires generally produce high environmental, social and economic development, impacting negatively on the country's development process. Effects on flora are considering that most of the plant dies at temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. In a forest fire occurs at temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. The main causes of deforestation are forest fires, which reduce the floristic diversity of the forest and rainforest to a minimum.   Forest fires on wildlife produce death, disappearance of species, and destruction of shelter and food shortages, among other changes in faunal population. Even after 6 to 10 years, the fauna living on one hectare of forest cannot recover. Effects on the soil depends on the nature of the soil and the frequency, duration and intensity of fire, of course they produce loss of moisture content, reduced ability, decreased amount of organic matter and micro population road therefore decrease fertility, cause detrimental changes in structure and texture, which increases rainfall runoff and erosion potential of generating landslides, avalanches and floods.

Effects on water

The ash and coal combustion products go to streams and water bodies, making them muddy, which greatly reduces its capacity to be consumed by humans and animals also produce severe effects of sedimentation, pollution and negative impact on wildlife water.

Effects on the air

Smoke and incandescent particles, products ...