Surrounded by Fire | National Geographic

this all takes place in Canada’s

this all takes place in Canada’s Northwest Territories there’s a section

Northwest Territories there’s a section

Northwest Territories there’s a section of forest there that has been designated

of forest there that has been designated

of forest there that has been designated to do crown fire experiments

there’s lots of thick dense lodgepole

there’s lots of thick dense lodgepole pine and they will set it afire with a

pine and they will set it afire with a

pine and they will set it afire with a flamethrower and they’re spraying this

flamethrower and they’re spraying this

flamethrower and they’re spraying this flammable liquid into the trees the

flammable liquid into the trees the

flammable liquid into the trees the whole goal is to light one-half of a

whole goal is to light one-half of a

whole goal is to light one-half of a test plot with as much fire as quickly

test plot with as much fire as quickly

test plot with as much fire as quickly as they can so that it will get up into

as they can so that it will get up into

as they can so that it will get up into the top of the trees and just run right

the top of the trees and just run right

the top of the trees and just run right through the forest here’s the view from

through the forest here’s the view from

through the forest here’s the view from one of our fire cameras so it’s this

one of our fire cameras so it’s this

one of our fire cameras so it’s this kind of idyllic setting here you’re in

kind of idyllic setting here you’re in

kind of idyllic setting here you’re in the forest what you can’t see is the

the forest what you can’t see is the

the forest what you can’t see is the fire that’s coming behind us and it’s

fire that’s coming behind us and it’s

fire that’s coming behind us and it’s setting up such a big dark smoke column

setting up such a big dark smoke column

setting up such a big dark smoke column that it actually blocks out the Sun and

that it actually blocks out the Sun and

that it actually blocks out the Sun and makes it look like night for a moment

and at the same time there are embers

and at the same time there are embers landing creating those little spot fires

landing creating those little spot fires

landing creating those little spot fires here and there and that’s how fire

here and there and that’s how fire

here and there and that’s how fire spreads even crown fire it jumps out

spreads even crown fire it jumps out

spreads even crown fire it jumps out ahead of itself by starting these small

ahead of itself by starting these small

ahead of itself by starting these small little fires and the main flaming front

little fires and the main flaming front

little fires and the main flaming front is coming from behind and you can see

is coming from behind and you can see

is coming from behind and you can see how windy it gets that’s when that the

how windy it gets that’s when that the

how windy it gets that’s when that the fire column is making just through

fire column is making just through

fire column is making just through convection so there’s so much heat goes

convection so there’s so much heat goes

convection so there’s so much heat goes up so quickly air has to come in and

up so quickly air has to come in and

up so quickly air has to come in and replace it so that’s what that wind is

here you can see the fire this is not

here you can see the fire this is not speeded up it’s in real time and you can

speeded up it’s in real time and you can

speeded up it’s in real time and you can see how quickly it just burns everything

see how quickly it just burns everything

see how quickly it just burns everything up and how different the landscape looks

the most compelling thing about fire is

the most compelling thing about fire is that you’re seeing this one of nature’s

that you’re seeing this one of nature’s

that you’re seeing this one of nature’s fiercest forces up close when you see

fiercest forces up close when you see

fiercest forces up close when you see this force of nature just tearing

this force of nature just tearing

this force of nature just tearing through the forest you feel really small

through the forest you feel really small

through the forest you feel really small and insignificant and at the same time

and insignificant and at the same time

and insignificant and at the same time you feel like you’re getting a real

you feel like you’re getting a real

you feel like you’re getting a real close-up glimpse of something that’s

close-up glimpse of something that’s

close-up glimpse of something that’s been going on for millions of years