Fighting fire with science

Cooler weather has all but extinguished wildfire danger in Utah — but thoughts of next summer aren't far from a few university researchers' minds.

As Utah ends one of its worst-ever wildfire seasons, University of Utah geographers are embarking on various projects to help people protect themselves from flames, allow aircraft to better monitor fires and learn if beetle infestations contribute to wildfires. The projects have garnered more than $700,000 in federal grants for the university.

Most importantly, researchers believe, is the protection of human lives in the case of a nearby wildfire.

Five people lost their lives this summer to wildfires or related causes.

Roy Rex Redmon, 68, and his wife, Mary Ann Redmon, 65, of Rowland Heights, Calif., were killed when their vehicle was knocked off I-15 during commotion caused by the Milford Flat fire in Millard County in early July. Lightning ignited the fire, and high winds spread flames quickly through the area, burning nearly 400,000 acres.

In late June, three men were killed while attempting to save a structure on a farm in eastern Utah.

George Houston, 63, his son Tracy Houston, 43, and farm owner Roger Roberson, 75, died when flames rushed over the hillside, consuming the Farm Creek farm.

The men were the first nonfirefighter deaths in wildfires in Utah since 1997. The Neola fire burned more than 43,000 acres, and its cause remains under investigation, according to the FBI.

Spencer S. Koyle, 33, was killed Aug. 17, 2006, while fighting the Devil's Den fire near Oak City in Millard County. He was among 91 firefighters honored by President Bush Monday at the new National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, which will be dedicated in November in Emmitsburg, Md.

Researchers want to study what could be done differently in such situations to preserve human life during and before a wildfire.

The options for avoiding a large-scale fire are slim, including evacuating or what is called "shelter-in-place," said U. associate professor of geography Tom Cova. He and Frank Drews, assistant professor of psychology, will study the factors that influence how people decide on protective actions during wildfires.

"The focus of this research will be the criteria and decision-making processes that lead one of these options to be preferable in a given scenario," Cova said.