Is it just me, or is it getting warm out here?

Here's an update on the fire in Australia... click right here.

Okay, how'd the girl get in the picture?

Some are blaming it on global warming but I'm not going to dignify that stupidity with a link. The degree of dryness, the length of time it's been that dry, and exactly why it's so dry so long is irrelevant to who set the freakin' fire. Police have begun to put together some sort of description of the male suspect whose nationality, race, creed, religion, sexual orientation yadda yadda yadda remains to be seen.

So, since we can't all wander in circles scratching our heads like the many who poo-poo the terrorist threat but embrace without question the myth of global warming, let's take a look at what we do know has already been said about setting fires in general as a weapon of jihad, and setting fires as a weapon of jihad in Australia in particular.

"Australian security authorities are aware of reports that al-Qaida has considered starting brush-fires in the U.S. as a form of terrorist attack," said a spokeswoman Australian Attorney General Daryl Williams. "Arson attacks are just one of a wide range of scenarios which have been considered as part of our investigations into al-Qaida's ability to conduct attacks in Australia." 

In fact, Arab terrorists in Israel have started dozens of major forest fires over the years. 

As far back as 1988, Israeli police caught more than a dozen Palestinian adults in the act of setting fires... You can read all about that here. 

The FBI says an AQ detainee told them of a plot to set fires here in the US. Read it here.

Too, and I know you will find this hard to believe; there's an Islam group din undah who thinks forest fire jihad is just the thing. Go ahead, take a look. 

So, I have a question: if terrorists have already set fires in other places in the past, and have said they should or will set fires in the future as part of their grand jihad, then why is the expert in this Fox News story saying terrorists might learn from these Australian fires ~ as though the thought has never crossed their minds until just now.  I don't mean to be unkind but, given this level of confusion, what makes this guy an expert?

Aaaanyways; if you’re out in the woods or brush, fire can sneak up on you quickly if you're not paying attention.  So, Unerschrocken, like I've said before; be aware of your surroundings at all times. 

Signs of approaching fire can be:

• The smell of smoke, however faint
• If you smell smoke, check nearby cars, tents, and other structures to see if you can spot blowing or drifting ash which will sweep ahead of the wall of heat generated by a fire
• Check the sky to see if any clouds there are really clouds or actually drifting/blowing smoke
• The fire is getting dangerously close if you see more ash falling and smell smoke more strongly

Knowing the way forest and brush fires travel and having an awareness of the terrain you are in can increase the odds of you surviving a fire. It can also be helpful if you know the lay of the land around you and exactly where you are on that fair sod when you detect the fire.  When it's time to un-ass the AO, remember area roads may be a haven as well as a way out because they're not going to burn up, though the temp will soar if you're sitting in the middle of one while the blaze burns on either side of you.

If there are bodies of water nearby, it might be a good idea to run for those if the totality of your circumstances leads you to believe you can make it there safely.

If you can find a spot with no vegetation, that can be a good place if it's big enough ~ a rock quarry ~ a gravel or sand pit ~ a slab of rock that is above the surface of the dirt and grass ~ a stretch of railroad line.  If the area is small and covered with rock, it might not be a good spot because the heat may be absorbed by and reflected off the rocks... into/onto you. Wildfires travel more slowly downhill.  So, you might be able to stay ahead of the fire by going downhill as quickly as possible.  

If you own property, you might want to pre-position gear in a clearing of dirt maybe 10'-20' square.  Make a dirt pathway to the plot and in the middle of it put a not-so-heavy stone marker and under it bury water, blankets and maybe one or two of the handy-dandy little items you can find here. 

Here are some cool links you can take a look at:

Predictive maps for the US.

Fuels and fire dangers in US areas.

Maps of active US fires.

How to survive a forest fire.

Cheers.

Update: looks like they caught the guy. I have an idea why he's being held in protective custody and pending a mental exam. I'll share it with you later. 

Seems to me, someone trying to set a brush-fire would:

• Drive, not walk, to a spot he'd already reconned
  •  On his recon, he might pre-position batches of dry brush so when he returns to ignite the fire, he can be in and out of the area quickly
• The spot he'd choose would be  upwind of a field/forest with lots of flammable vegetation in it  
• Close to a road
• Close to groups of homes but not close enough to be easily seen by the residents

He'd park the vehicle by the side of the road, maybe put the hood up to make it look like he was having engine problems, or set the jack and spare tire by the back of the car to make it look like he was about to change a flat tire.  Or, better yet; two guys would drive to the spot and the driver would get out, leaving the passenger in the car to explain to anyone who got nosy that the driver went into the brush to take a dump.

Once parked, the bad-guy will move quickly into the target area with either a timing device to set the fire after he's left the area, or flammable material soaked in accelerant, such as a towel with gas on it ~ something not that suspicious when it's around a car, but definately suspicious when it's being toted into the brush.

If he's got a timer, he'll try to conceal it and place dry brush and branches around it as both cover and fuel.  He will set the timer to ignite a few minutes after he leaves and then he'd vamoose.  If he was setting the fire himself, he'd gather fuel quickly, put the accelerant on it, ignite it with a disposable cigarette lighter, probably, and then take off.  Then he'd probably drive down the road a ways and wait to see the smoke.  If no smoke, he might go back and try to ignite the fuel again.  If he does go back, he's probably using a timer and either wants to reset it or retrieve it. My guess would be that he wouldn't be armed because he's going to try the innocent hiker/leaker ploy if challenged.

If I witnessed this type of activity and couldn't detain the suspect quickly, I'd head for the homes threatened by the fire to warn them and I'd notify the cops and fire-fighters from there because the residents know the exact area and maybe I wouldn't.

Your thoughts are invited.