Containment is a phrase that Polk County residents are hearing often in the past few weeks due to the wildfires in the area.

Another phrase that has popped up is “(insert amount) percent contained.” Rather it is zero or fifty or ninety-five, this is a number that residents have heard.

But, what does it mean?

Containment doesn’t mean how much of the fire has been put out, according to several news stories online that discuss the matter. Instead, the percentage refers to the amount of the fire’s perimeter where firefighters are confident the fire won’t continue to spread. Or the amount of area that is restricted by fire-proof barriers. These barriers can be a wide variety of things, just as a highway or river or man-made trenches or an area that has already burned.

The fires in Polk County are being worked by many firefighters and crews and they are working hard to contain the fire.

The problem, though, is the weather and wind and the amount of debris on forest floors after Hurricane Helene’s trek through the county last fall.

When a fire gets to 100 percent containment, this doesn’t mean the fire is out, but it means that firefighters have worked to complete a perimeter around the fire that can stop it from spreading. Fire, as unpredictable as it is, can still jump that containment area and continue, which is why residents need to be prepared during this event.

Check out the flier below for more information.