Controversial New Way To Fight Fires

Sep. 10, 2007 (KGO) (KGO) -- A new approach to fighting wildfires is provoking quite a debate. Firefighters are training neighbors to fight fires and save their own homes in one Australian province.

Instead of evacuating thousands of people this summer from their South Lake Tahoe homes - imagine telling them to stay and help fight the fires. Firefighters in New South Wales are now doing just that.

"So when a wildfire comes in the young and old leave early. Then the people that stay in house patrol it put out spot fires," said Scott Stephens, UC Berkeley professor.

This idea to prepare, stay and defend caught the attention of UC Berkeley Professor Scott Stephens. He's now researching it for a paper he plans to write. He says the idea is working.

"They've reduced losses of life and property in Australia in big fires by about 80 to 90 percent by doing this," said Stephens.

A Battalion Chief at the Oakland Fire Department admits having homeowners put out spot fires would make a huge difference.

"That can literally stop the fire. Spot fires escalate into large fires and can move rapidly," said Thomas Gallinatti, Oakland Fire Batt. Chief.

But this new idea sounds a bit radical to him. His instinct is to leave firefighting to the professionals.

"The fire may not look that large but it can be overwhelming and fast and they can misjudge the intensity of the fire," said Thomas Gallinatti, Oakland Fire Batt. Chief.

That's why in New South Wales - the residents receive training, have the proper gear and have homes that are considered defensible. But Professor Stephens also believes this would be a tough sell in the United States; just think of the liability.

"It would be more difficult here because way our court system works and lawsuits," said Stephens.

But the idea may be unofficially taking shape in the Oakland Hills. Some residents have been trained, by the Oakland Fire Department, to help in the event of a fire. They've learned first aid, traffic control but their training stops short of teaching how to use fire hoses. Still, Gary Plotner, has taken it upon himself to buy hoses and he's not afraid to use them.

"The threat of legal action to me is not important. I am of the nature where I would stay and defend my home," said Gary Plotner, training instructor.

He also can't imagine the city ever endorsing an idea that keeps people from evacuating. But Professor Stephens hopes he can at least get people talking about it.

"In most fires most people that are killed are during the evacuation. I do think unless people that live in the interface don't become incredibly engaged and part of the solution urban interface fires are going to haunt us forever," said Stephens.

They have been doing this in New South Wales for about a year and half. The professor wants to study them a little longer and then he will have his paper completed in a couple of months. The battalion chief in Oakland said he is looking forward to reading it.

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