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There are three different classes of wildland fires: surface, <br />ground, and crown. A surface fire is the most common type <br />and burns along the floor of a forest, moving slowly and killing <br />or damaging trees. A ground fire is usually started by lightning <br />and burns on or below the forest floor. Crown fires spread <br />rapidly by wind and move quickly by jumping along the tops of <br />trees. <br />Rural and large tracts of unimproved lands are susceptible to <br />brush and forest fires capable of threatening life, safety, and <br />property loss in adjacent developed areas if not effectively <br />controlled. Wildfires are caused by numerous sources <br />including arson, smoker carelessness, individuals burning <br />debris, equipment throwing sparks, and children playing with <br />matches. However, the largest number of fires is caused by <br />lightning strikes and coincides with the height of the <br />thunderstorm season. A major wildland fire can leave a large <br />amount of scorched and barren land, and these areas may not <br />return to pre -fire conditions for decades. If the wildland fire <br />destroys the ground cover, other potential hazards may <br />develop (e.g., erosion) (Federal Emergency Management <br />Agency, 1998). <br />However, some plant and animal communities in south central <br />Florida have come to depend on frequent lightning -ignited <br />wildfires for their continued existence. Many threatened and <br />endangered species depend on the periodic burning of <br />defense scrub. Fire suppression and landscape fragmentation <br />have disrupted this natural cycle, but prescribed burns provide <br />the missing link. <br />Structures in the Wildland/Urban Interface zone are vulnerable <br />to ignition by three different ways: radiation, convection, and <br />firebrands (National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Protection <br />Program). Radiating heat from a wildfire can cause ignition by <br />exposure to the structure. The chances of ignition increase as <br />the size of the flames increases, surface areas exposed to <br />flames increases, length of exposure time increases, and <br />distance between the structure and the flames decreases. <br />Indian River County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Basic Page 13 <br />