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2022-08-26
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--- Forest Fire Fighter ---
By Ian Adam Vancouver BC
Out here in the woods of British
Columbia, fire is an ever-present
threat. The forests are so important
- for recreation, lumber, paper, or as
a valuable natural environment. In
fact, they are the number one industry
in the province.
Each year, there are hundreds of
forest fires that destroy trees,
endanger animals, and threaten towns.
In summer, the woods are tinder-dry,
and the fires spread quickly. Started
perhaps by lightning and driven by
unpredictable winds, they cause
millions of dollars in damage. But,
if it were not for the heroic efforts
and careful strategies of the fearless
firefighters, or 'smoke eaters', the
toll would be even greater than it
already is.
The challenge for you is to control
these wild fires. Put yourself in the
shoes of the smoke eaters - prepare
your strategies, check your will, and
watch your hair doesn't catch on fire.
You have three basic tools in this
mission. The first is a water bomber:
just point out the location, and your
veteran pilot will drop a load of
retardant-treated water. Drop it on a
fire and you just may put it out - or
at least speed its departure. Drop it
on the forest or a house, and you will
reduce its chance of catching fire.
Your second tool is the backfire.
This requires dropping your smokies
into an unburned area, where they will
start a small fire of their own. The
idea is that this fire will consume
fuel and act as a barrier to the main
fire. This small fire should burn out
quickly (provided the wind doesn't
catch it, of course!)
Your final weapon is the firebreak,
and it is also the hardest to use. You
and one of your trusty crews must drop
by rope from a helicopter, directly
into the path of the fire. There, you
will cut a swath through the forest,
in order to break the progress of the
fire. Pray that the chopper pilot is
able to return to pick you up!
Because of the blood, sweat, and
tears involved in cutting a firebreak,
not to mention the time required, a
crew will only become available once
every three turns. However, you will
start out with two crews on standby.
It is only rarely that a fire will
be able to jump over such a carefully
constructed break.
Your greatest concern must be the
wind. Watch its direction carefully,
and try to anticipate the fire's
spread. With luck you will contain
the fire. But watch for a sudden
change in wind direction, which could
turn your plans to ashes!
This simulation gives you a choice
of four difficulty levels. Until you
learn the ropes, I would strongly
suggest that you stay with the
beginner levels!
After you have selected your level
of difficulty, the forest area that
you have to patrol will be shown next.
You will quickly recognize the fires
shown in red (then yellow), houses in
white, and lakes in blue. Use the
cursor keys to indicate a target, then
press:
- W for your water bomber
- B to start a backfire
- F to cut a firebreak
- H for help (to review this manual).
The screen will show how many crews
are available to you for firebreaks.
You can press Q to quit, if the going
gets too tough. If you don't quit,
but put the fires out instead, you
will be given your score, based on how
much forest and how many homes you
have saved. If you have learned your
lessons well, you may be awarded the
ultimate honour of placing your name
in the 'Smoke Eaters Hall of Flame'.
Good luck, and may you live long
enough to benefit from the experience!
Manual printed courtesy of Jeffrey
Jones, honorary smoke eater.