Set project foundation basis: Wildfires

 The main focus in my collection are Wildfires. The real question here is what causes them, what happens after the burning begins and what follows?

According to Frontline Wildfire defence system, wildfires have four stages which are as follows: Part one is the incipient stage which is the pre-ignition meaning when eg a cigarette lands on pine needles and with the help of oxygen a fire begins. Part two is the flashover which is the flaming which is the growth of fire to the next stage when flames become visible. Part three is Fully Developed meaning the transition which is at the peak of combustion and it is the most dangerous stage when the fire is the most heated. Part four is decay meaning smoldering when the fire turns into ashes and everything becomes pitched black and is the most dangerous(1).

Most wildfires start by human causes and not natural causes. The most common cause of any wildfire are cigarettes hence my first outfit including the colour palette will be inspired by a cigarette. This method lets say has decreased over the years even though it is still very common but even more common are camp fires. Due to the colours of camp fires though being extremely similar to the burning stages and these being the two main causes i will be creating two outfits made out of causes(2).

chart indicating causes

Even though after wildfires stop burning most of the time it is pitch black which will probably be my last outfit sometimes, rarely a superbloom is produced(3).

california superbloom close up

california superbloom

This superbloom can be an inspiration for another outfit as florals are making a comeback, but also florals are not really my type so i might incorporate the flowers into a tie dye style like shown above.

Some pictures from wildfires shown below:

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Additionally on this research i wanted to add the most recent world know wildfire after the Amazon wildfire which were the Australian Wildfires. The Australian Wildfires lated for about 79 days and burnt about 46,050,750 acres(6). It was said that the cause of the fire was due to dry fuel moisture and the ongoing droughts(7). Another issue after the wildfires were mostly done was the fact that many animals other than those who had already died were expected to die as they had lost their habitat but also due to the toxins released after the fire. This is a major problem with fires as the soil later is eroded and dies but also toxic pollutants are released to people, animals, biodiversity, lakes etc. Not only were the fires an economical backfire but also the smokes and fumes from the fires travelled across the Pacific even towards Antarctica. Not only did the fires affect Australia and other countries but also the whole world as global warming has increased as the fumes could not escape the earth(8).

(9)

map of Australia fires

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(1)https://www.frontlinewildfire.com/the-four-stages-of-wildfire-combustion/

(2)https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/the-most-common-ways-people-spark-devastating-wildfires-in-the-us/433731

(3)https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/what-happens-after-wildfire-sweeps-through-forest

(6)https://www.busseltonmail.com.au/story/6620313/it-was-a-line-of-fire-coming-at-us-firefighters-return-home/

(7) https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020EF001671

(8) https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/ten-impacts-australian-bushfires