Shaded Fuel Break Example: Stevens Fire

Flame lengths
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Flame lengths were too great to fight from the ground due to heavy fuel load, even without wind. In this picture, you can see the smoke rising almost straight up. The dark, dense smoke is an indication of the heavy fuel load.

Fire in untreated area
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Fuel breaks and backfires stopped the fire at the ridge top; only a few homes were lost. You can see here the dark line across the ridges where the fire halted.