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Since You Asked: How do firefighters measure wildfire acreage? Saturday Aug 19, 2017 at 12:01 AM I've been paying a good deal of attention to the numerous wildfire reports. One thing I've always been curious about is the fire acreage. How is that measured? Are they very rough estimates, or are they pretty spot on? — R., Medford Depending on the methods wildland firefighters use, it could be either one. It generally starts off rough, then gets more precise. Whenever firefighters are in the "initial attack" phase — that is, the first 24 to 48 hours or so of a fire roaring to life — size estimates will be measured with eyes, according to Oregon Department of Forestry public information officer Melissa Cano. Those estimates aren't just random numbers based on a hunch, though. They stem from training that teaches firefighters on how to gauge a terrain's acreage.  "Both aerial resources and ground resources, whoever's first will give you the eyeball (estimate)," Cano said. After that point, depending on the fire's size and if they haven't already knocked it down, a couple of different methods are employed. Crews can use aerial GPS readings to get estimates on the perimeter. Infrared readings, also taken from the air, are pretty accurate, too, but too much smoke can affect the measurements and make it look bigger than reality. The more precise measurement is done on the ground, with certain divisions walking sections of the perimeter with a GPS to get the needed data. "We will physically walk the perimeter of the fire," Cano said, adding crews can get down to hundredths of an acre. This methodology also allows firefighters to know how many acres damaged by the flames are Bureau of Land Management land, how much is private property, and so on. "We can move forward offering them rehab options," Cano said. "So they don't feel like their property is a complete loss." — Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.