By Barry Zander, Edited by Monique Zander, the Never-Bored RVers
A brush and woods wildfire that reportedly began with a motorhome along the Merced River near Yosemite National Park, California, has burned more than 5,000 acres, but was reportedly 90 percent contained Thursday morning.
Cause of the fire is still being actively investigated by the Mariposa County Fire Department, according to county Deputy Fire Chief Jim Middleton. A news release issued by the South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team attributes its start to the motorhome. Exact cause has not been determined.
Reports state that the fire began at 12:30 p.m. last Thursday on Hwy, 140 and quickly spread to the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests. The area is very steep with rugged terrain, “making access difficult,” according to the news release.
One injury was reported, but no structures have been destroyed. I’m sure the whole RV community hopes the owners of the motorhome got out safely and will experience a minimum of inconvenience.
Since this is a blog site and not a news report, let me ask a question. What went through your mind when you read about the RV fire? There are so many opportunities for disasters in RVs that it’s important that you think about changes you’ve made recently or about systems that you haven’t inspected in the past few months. It’s always a good idea to consider what opportunities there are for danger lurking between the highway and the roof when you’re speeding down a lonely road.
I’m not qualified to write out a list of connections and systems to be inspected, but my policy is to bite the bullet and pay experienced tradesmen to work on our rig rather than take a chance on a making a repair myself that could spell problems down the road. Like many of you, I relish the opportunity to pull out all the tools for a project, but I’m quick to put them away when I get to the point where I’m guessing at the results.
I do want to make one suggestion. After you check to ensure that your onboard fire extinguisher works, make sure you know how to use it. From the awful smell, we discovered that a lamp secured for travel on a recliner under a blanket was on when we arrived at our next destination . A few minutes after I hooked up our power, we smelled something burning. I quickly pulled the fire extinguisher from its bracket and foamed away. An innocent and costly mistake, but it could have been worse without the fire extinguisher. You never know when a serious incident can happen. Next trip to the hardware store we bought a second extinguisher for the bedroom area.
We don’t need the unexpected to keep us interested in our RV lifestyle. We’re already …
… the “Never-Bored RVers.” We’ll see you on down the road.
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Bill Sprague
Just askin’…. Could it have been a grass/brush ignition from an overheated catalytic converter or diesel particulate filter? Those things can get hot enough to ignite dry grass.
Manuel Enos
Have three – one in forward part of coach, one in aft part and one immediately out the door in the front access to the basement. They should be visually checked at least every time you go RVng and I take mine down to our local fire depot for annual check. No charge for check – part of benefits of a tax paying citizen! One of the few perks we get!!
butterbean carpenter
Howdy Barry,
Thanx, for a really IMPORTANT blog!!! Someone who had a tire fire on a fifth wheel
said their little extinguisher that came with their trailer didn’t put out the fire, but a trucker with a larger one did!!! They suggested DO NOT DEPEND ON THE ONE THAT CAME AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT!!! Get a BIG one !!!! Mac McCoy(THE FIRE GUY) has a different type of extinguisher that PUTS OUT A FIRE QUICKER THAN THE SODA ONE!!! I’ve never seen a fire extinguished so fast!!! Mac knows fires!!!! He’s also a very neat and funny guy and has a million stories…
McCoys are very intelligent people… I know because I’m one!!!!(GGpa)
Lois Haupt
We lost a motor home to a fire that started behind the fridge. Our first clue that we had a fire was when we saw flames shooting thru a hole in the roof. It was a defect in the fridge. A connection in the gas line failed, turning the gas into a blowtorch. There was a recall on the fridge, but we didn’t receive any notice even though we registered everything. Keep an eye on recalls, and I second the suggestion about always having critical work done by professionals.
Jon
I keep two on hand in the RV one by the front door and one in the bedroom. You never know where a fire could strart.
Thomas Becher
Buy a cheap extingisher and build a small fire, either in a campsite or somewhere were it would be no danger of starting something else on fire. Then put it out. Most people are not prepared for the whoosh of the powder coming out and don’t know where to spray.(at the base of the fire). I once saw a class put on by the fire dept at a local nursing home. The nurse pulled the trigger, wet her pants and dropped the extingisher. Not much help there… Usually it’s cheaper to buy new than have a dischared on serviced. Unless it is a very large one.
Geoffrey Pruett
Good point about a second one for the back bedroom which has no easy exit. The trick will be finding a place to mount it that is nor either a trip hazard or a head banger around our walk around bed. Already have dual detectors, reffered to as the dinner gong, but the only extingisher is at the only exit door, reachable from inside or the ground outside. Have used one before but not on our own equiptment. Still blessed (or cursed) with a overly sensitive nose so seldom does anything get past very warm before being investigated.
Jimmy leggett
I have two ABC iinside coach, one forward and one aft. I installed a 3 pound dry
Chemical, mounted behind the reefer in the access compartment, activated by a sensor that measures a sudden rise in temp and sounds an alarm if it goes off.
This fall when it cools off, I will install a system in the engine compartment, also heat sensor activated as well as manual.
The beauty of heat sensors is they measure the gradient temperature rise. A slow temp rise such as in the engine compartment is normal so nothing happens, but a sudden fast rise activates the fire extinguishing system and sounds an alarm.
Behind the fridge and the engine compartment are two area of concern that will cause one to lose a RV to fire. Neither area is visible, and neither can be easily accessed. the little ABC unts are useless in both these locations.
Rod Jurrens
I will second Lee E’s comment. We sat in on one of Mac Mcoy’s seminars at a Gypsy Journal rally and have a much better handle on what to do with a fire situation in our rig.
Liz Bard
I will again repeat David’s question – after you discharge your fire extinguisher or need it inspected, where do you take it? A;so, if you spend $20-$30 for one, does it cost more to get it refilled than to replace it?
Roy Hoffman
When you use an extinguisher it needs to be serviced after you use it, even if you only spray a little out as the pressure will leak out by the time you would use the extinguisher again.
Lee Ensminger
In addition to some of the other good suggestions on here: If you ever have the opportunity to sit in on a session with “Mac the Fire Guy,” do it. No one will prepare you better for fire safety in your RV. He travels around the country making appearances at a rally or a Life on Wheels type conference. If you see him listed on the syllabus of classes, GO! You won’t regret it, and it may well save your life someday.
A.W. Walker
David,
No problem…you’re interested enough in your family’s safety to read the article. Now, from here on, all you need is to go to a big box store and buy 3 or 4 A-B-C type fire extinguishers…you can buy different styles, but the A-B-C designation means that that extinguisher is good for oil, electrical and paper/wood. You can get other classes of extinguishers for other types of fire, but the ABC is fine for most. Next, just reat the instructions included with the extinguisher….they all tell you exactly how to use it…it’s easy. Good luck and good travels.
David
Still consider myself a newbe, Have to admit not sure how to use fire extinguisher,or where to take it to have it inspected. Help!
Gary
Boy what a timely notice. It’s been very dry in the southwest so be really careful. At all times, but now especially important. Thanks for the warm-up ( pun intended)
Larry Nutter
Tire blow-outs can also cause roadside fires, happend to us along I10n in Az.
Great article, thanks.
A.W. Walker
Good article, Barry…we need to have one like this at least once a year…
Got a few ideas, based on my RV life…first, you should have two or three fire extinguishers in the motor home, and one in the towed dinghy….same idea if your rv is a towable. Next, whether you’re towing or self-propelled, pulling off the road in ANY kind of vehicle presents a hot exhaust or catalytic converter to dry grass and roadside debris. Third, get yourself an escape plan and rehearse it twice a year at least…prepare to leave everything behind, and get out or away from the rv…remember that your propane is likely to blow, if the rig is on fire….get away..from the rig, and don’t let anyone else close to it except professional responders.
Walt Moore
Great point about the fire extinguisher. Carry one in your car, have one in your kitchen and garage and know hoe to use it. Also get them inspected once a year when you change detector batteries.