| All fires, even the most devastating, start out as small fires. The illustration shows the progress of the 2003 |
| wildfire siege in California that ultimately destroyed over 3400 structures. No significant damage occurred in |
| the first 6 hours of the Cedar Fire, the largest in 2003, when there was little wind. No significant number of |
| homes were lost until 12 hours after the start. But, because the fire was not stopped during this period, the wind |
| turned it into an unstoppable holocaust. The suppression costs for wildfires are proportional to the total acres |
| burned and the enclosing perimeter. Thus, when proper means are provided to detect the initial ignition of |
| wildfires and stamp them out quickly, overall significant reduction of losses and costs are expected. |
