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FIRE PREVENTION A number of resources are available to TIRE FIRE CAUSES the fire prevention officer to reduce the environmental impact of waste tire Wildland Fires storage. The Uniform Fire Code, National Fire Protection Association, Grass and brush fires are an important Titles 14 and 19, as well as the Health and consideration here in California. In June, Safety Code should be referenced while 1978 a grass fire in Roseville, California enforcing minimum State Regulations. consumed a reported 750,000 scrap tires. Important to the development of a fire The remains of this fire are still visible prevention program is knowing what today. causes tire fires. Like heavy crude oil, In your own grass fire fighting experience tires are not easily ignited. But once you may recall a tire in the open field, ignition takes place, tires, through their which was unscathed by the fire. How doughnut shaped construction and then could grass fires affect an entire pile? chemical composition, can support combustion. One answer is the surface condition of the Data from the California Fire Incident tire itself. Tires do not decompose. They Reporting System (CFIRS) suggests three are, however, affected by weathering. Old tires will crack and check, making the tire fires occur in California annually. broken surface easier to ignite. Between 1980 and 1991, there was an annual average of nine tire fires for scrap Another explanation lies in the fuel load and junkyards in the United States. This of the grass fire itself. If grass is allowed figure is based upon national statistics to grow up against a scrap tire pile and if (NFIRS) of participating states, where other combustible debris like wood, logs, tires were the form of material first tree limbs, old mattresses and trash ignited. impinge against a tire, then ignition of Tire fires have been started by these combustibles could readily start a fire. Once a tire is ignited, the radiant 4 Lightening strikes heat will spread quickly to others. 4 Grass fires Clearing combustibles from a tire pile site tb Accidents and should become a priority for fire 6 Arson prevention officers. Protection against Other than acts of nature, we can protect grass fires can be accomplished by scrap tire storage from grass and brush maintaining a minimum 40-foot fire break fires, accidental fires, and to some degree between tire piles and surrounding the purposely set fires. vegetation as required by The Uniform Fire Code. 23