ESPM 134 - -This week: This week: ESPM 134 Fire Suppression Fire - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ESPM 134 ESPM 134 -

• This week:

This week: Fire Suppression Fire Suppression Prescription Fire Prescription Fire Post Post-

• fire Restoration

fire Restoration Fire Mitigation Fire Mitigation Fire Policy Fire Policy

Where we Where we’ ’re going: re going:

• Spinning up to look at how to apply fire as a

Spinning up to look at how to apply fire as a forest management tool forest management tool

• We need to learn how to :

We need to learn how to :

• Put them out

Put them out

• Restore forests afterward

Restore forests afterward

• Use fire as a management tool

Use fire as a management tool

• Think about fire policy in the 21

Think about fire policy in the 21st

st century

century

An Aside: Burning Exercise at An Aside: Burning Exercise at Blodgett Experimental Forest Blodgett Experimental Forest

• Still Planning for it

Still Planning for it

• BFRS personnel are checking into the permitting

BFRS personnel are checking into the permitting

• Still up in the air:

Still up in the air:

• Size

Size

• Location (probably near headquarters)

Location (probably near headquarters)

• Ignition planning

Ignition planning

• This is a real

This is a real-

• life exercise

life exercise… …and sometimes they go and sometimes they go as planned, but more frequently, they don as planned, but more frequently, they don’ ’t t

• Safety gear for anyone on

Safety gear for anyone on ‘ ‘active active’ ’ fireline fireline is a must!! is a must!!

• On the

On the fireline fireline: :

• Heavy boots (no nylon)

Heavy boots (no nylon)

• Nomex

Nomex PPE (festive!) PPE (festive!)

• Center for Forestry

Center for Forestry provided provided… …

• Gloves

Gloves

• Anybody NOT wearing

Anybody NOT wearing this gear will be required this gear will be required to stay back from active to stay back from active line line

Fire Suppression Fire Suppression -

• History

History

• Historical forces:

Historical forces:

• Prior to 1911:

Prior to 1911:

• Except in rare

Except in rare instances, fire instances, fire was pretty was pretty much much ‘ ‘let let burn burn’ ’

• Activity fuels

Activity fuels from Logging from Logging

• perations
• perations

were piling up, were piling up, and and

• Euro

Euro-

• american

american settlements settlements were sprouting were sprouting up all over the up all over the place place

Historical, cont. Historical, cont.

• In the mid 1800

In the mid 1800’ ’s, some very large fires finally started s, some very large fires finally started drawing national ire & notice: drawing national ire & notice:

• 1846, 1853, 1865, 1868:

1846, 1853, 1865, 1868: Yachina Yachina, , Nestucca Nestucca, Silverton, Coos , Silverton, Coos Fires in Oregon (3 x 10 Fires in Oregon (3 x 106

6 acres)

acres)

• 1871 Peshtigo, Wisconsin. 1.2 x 10

1871 Peshtigo, Wisconsin. 1.2 x 106

6 acres. 1100 deaths

• acres. 1100 deaths.

.

• Same day & weather conditions as Great Chicago fire

Same day & weather conditions as Great Chicago fire

• 1881: Great Michigan fire. 1.0 x 10

1881: Great Michigan fire. 1.0 x 106

6 acres. 200 deaths

• acres. 200 deaths
• 1894: Hinckley Fire, Minnesota. 0.16 x 10

1894: Hinckley Fire, Minnesota. 0.16 x 106

6 acres. 418 deaths.

• acres. 418 deaths.
• Great Fire of 1910: Idaho & Montana. 3.0 x 10

Great Fire of 1910: Idaho & Montana. 3.0 x 106

6 acres. *6

• acres. *6

deaths deaths

• Major catalyst for the onset of active fire suppression

Major catalyst for the onset of active fire suppression

History, cont. History, cont.

• Suppression had always been a part of forest

Suppression had always been a part of forest activities: activities:

• Logging

Logging

• Steam in the forest

Steam in the forest – – locomotives, steam donkeys locomotives, steam donkeys

• Railroads

Railroads

• Mills

Mills

• Fires were generally suppressed if:

Fires were generally suppressed if:

• Feasible

Feasible

• Threatened Real or Timber properties

Threatened Real or Timber properties

• Logging slashes

Logging slashes – – milling milling wastes traditionally just wastes traditionally just left on site left on site

• Remember: forestry

Remember: forestry generally generally ‘ ‘cut & run cut & run’ ’ up up through the mid 1900 through the mid 1900’ ’s s

• These materials are felt to

These materials are felt to be major players in the be major players in the listed fires, and numerous listed fires, and numerous 20 20th

th century burns.

century burns.

History, cont. History, cont.

• The 1911 Great Burn

The 1911 Great Burn forced the fledgling forced the fledgling US Forest Service US Forest Service into institutionalizing into institutionalizing fire suppression: fire suppression:

• Fire Management

Fire Management

• Almost military

Almost military-

• like

like approach to absolute approach to absolute suppression of fire suppression of fire within Federal within Federal resources, including resources, including

• Indian Lands

Indian Lands (Interior & BIA) (Interior & BIA)

• Park & Reserve

Park & Reserve Lands (Interior) Lands (Interior)

• Rangelands (BLM)

Rangelands (BLM)

• State, County, and

State, County, and City resources. City resources.

History History… …

• World War II: The start

World War II: The start

• f the techno
• f the techno-
• suppression era:

suppression era:

• Use of aerial attack

Use of aerial attack

• Use of radios, coordinated

Use of radios, coordinated teams teams

• Use of heavy equipment

Use of heavy equipment

• And the start of one of

And the start of one of the worlds most effective the worlds most effective ad campaigns: ad campaigns:

History History… …

• Pretty much the way things went through the

Pretty much the way things went through the 1980 1980’ ’s s… …then a number of things started then a number of things started happening: happening:

• Fire Ecology starts solid documentation of the role

Fire Ecology starts solid documentation of the role

• f fire in ecosystems
• f fire in ecosystems
• The 1980s sees a increase in the number of extreme

The 1980s sees a increase in the number of extreme-

• behavior

behavior wildland wildland fires fires thoughout thoughout the world the world

• Reagan

Reagan-

• nomics

nomics: severe financial cutbacks : severe financial cutbacks

Modern Suppression Modern Suppression

Modern Modern Wildland Wildland Firefighting Firefighting

• Incident Command System

Incident Command System

• Finances forced inter

Finances forced inter-

• agency coordination on a national scale

agency coordination on a national scale

• Need for standardized language,

Need for standardized language, heirarchy heirarchy, increased , increased information flow information flow

• National logistics and manning coordination centers

National logistics and manning coordination centers

• Standardized Firefighting organization (NIIMS: National

Standardized Firefighting organization (NIIMS: National Interagency Incident Management System) Interagency Incident Management System)

• Frequencies

Frequencies

• Equipment

Equipment

• Still a long ways away from complete standardization

Still a long ways away from complete standardization

• Structural firefighters are coming up to speed on

Structural firefighters are coming up to speed on wildland wildland fires fires

• Hoses, Standpipes, etc. slowly being replaced with standardized

Hoses, Standpipes, etc. slowly being replaced with standardized materials materials

What are the Basics? What are the Basics?

• How do you put out a fire?

How do you put out a fire?

• How can you do it without an endless source of

How can you do it without an endless source of water? water?

• How can you do this while providing for

How can you do this while providing for firefighter safety? firefighter safety?

• How can you optimize resource & structure

How can you optimize resource & structure protection? protection?

• Are these mutually exclusive?

Are these mutually exclusive?

Rundown: Rundown:

• Separation of fuels from oxygen & heat

Separation of fuels from oxygen & heat

• Safety

Safety

• Water Supplies

Water Supplies

• Tactics & Strategy

Tactics & Strategy

• Basics

Basics

• Handcrews

Handcrews

• Engines

Engines

• ‘

‘Dozers & Cats (Bulldozers & Caterpillars) Dozers & Cats (Bulldozers & Caterpillars)

• Air Attack

Air Attack

Basics: How to put one out Basics: How to put one out

• Fuels Removal:

Fuels Removal:

• Separate the fire from the fuels.

Separate the fire from the fuels.

• General Rule: fuels removal must be at least 1.5 times the heigh

General Rule: fuels removal must be at least 1.5 times the height of t of the fuels: the fuels:

• 10

10’ ’ fuels height = 15 fuels height = 15’ ’ fire line fire line

• Need to get down to bare mineral soils

Need to get down to bare mineral soils

• Prevents fire from creeping across the line

Prevents fire from creeping across the line

• Continue to separate fire & fuels

Continue to separate fire & fuels

• Widening line

Widening line

• Water, if available

Water, if available

• Goal:

Goal:

• Containment

Containment: getting a unburnable line around the fire : getting a unburnable line around the fire

• Control

Control: lowering fire behavior to the point it will not spot or spread : lowering fire behavior to the point it will not spot or spreads s

Fire triangle/ tetrahedron Fire triangle/ tetrahedron

• Need to separate

Need to separate fules fules from from heat, oxygen & stop the chain heat, oxygen & stop the chain reaction reaction

• Water is very effective at

Water is very effective at removing heat, usable oxygen removing heat, usable oxygen

• Not

Not alot alot available in the forests available in the forests… …

• Other Methods employed:

Other Methods employed:

• Deprive fires of fuel

Deprive fires of fuel

• Deprive fires of oxygen

Deprive fires of oxygen

Lingo: Lingo:

• Initial Attack

Initial Attack: fire suppression & : fire suppression & extingushing extingushing by first responders by first responders

• Incident

Incident: Fires which require additional : Fires which require additional forces to suppress ( forces to suppress (‘ ‘project project’ ’) )

• Frontal

Frontal and and Flanking Flanking attack attack

• Frontal

Frontal: direct attack on the head of a fire : direct attack on the head of a fire

• Usually pretty iffy

Usually pretty iffy… …

• Flanking

Flanking: attack on the sides : attack on the sides

• Direct Attack

Direct Attack

• Right on the fire

Right on the fire

• Indirect Attack

Indirect Attack

• Backing off to a advantageous site and

Backing off to a advantageous site and building line there (parallel attack) building line there (parallel attack)

• Requires fuel removal between fire & line

Requires fuel removal between fire & line (backfiring) (backfiring)

Safety: Safety:

• All Important:

All Important:

• No suppression activity, whatsoever, is worth a personal

No suppression activity, whatsoever, is worth a personal injury or death (Mann Gulch, Storm Mountain, etc.) injury or death (Mann Gulch, Storm Mountain, etc.)

• PPE: Personal Protection Gear

PPE: Personal Protection Gear

• Wildland

Wildland fire training now includes: fire training now includes:

• Wildland

Wildland Fire Behavior Fire Behavior Watchouts Watchouts

• LCES

LCES

• Lookouts, Communications, Escapes, Safe Zone

Lookouts, Communications, Escapes, Safe Zone

• Fire Orders

Fire Orders

• 10 things to watch out for

10 things to watch out for

• 18 things that Shout

18 things that Shout ‘ ‘Watch Out! Watch Out!’ ’

Mann Gulch 1949

Water Supplies: Water Supplies:

• Don

Don’ ’t count on it t count on it… …

• Wildland

Wildland fires far outstrip the energy output of a structure fire fires far outstrip the energy output of a structure fire

• Amounts less than 1000 gallons can be provided by Engines/tanker

Amounts less than 1000 gallons can be provided by Engines/tankers s

• More frequently used for

More frequently used for

• Point

Point attck attck

• Single

Single – – few structure attack few structure attack

• Mop

Mop-

• up: Cooling off the fire

up: Cooling off the fire

Handcrew Handcrew Operations Operations

• Initial Attack & Ongoing Attack operations

Initial Attack & Ongoing Attack operations

• Standards: 3

Standards: 3 – – 24 person using 24 person using handtools handtools for for suppression suppression

• Shovel,

Shovel, McCleod McCleod, Pulaski, Swatters, Chainsaws, etc , Pulaski, Swatters, Chainsaws, etc

• These are the:

These are the:

• Smokejumpers,

Smokejumpers, helitack helitack, Hotshot, District Crews, Inmate , Hotshot, District Crews, Inmate crews crews

• Line construction varies with fuels

Line construction varies with fuels

• 1 to 10 chains / hour (66 to 660

1 to 10 chains / hour (66 to 660’ ’), higher rates not unusual ), higher rates not unusual

Engines Engines

• Wildland

Wildland Fire Engines & Tankers Fire Engines & Tankers

• Carries personnel & equipment

Carries personnel & equipment

• Hand Tools

Hand Tools

• Chainsaws

Chainsaws

• Pumps, water & hoses

Pumps, water & hoses

• Foam

Foam

• Limited by:

Limited by:

• Terrain & Access

Terrain & Access

• Water Supply

Water Supply

• High Intensity Fires

High Intensity Fires

Engines Engines

• Useful in:

Useful in:

• Small fire direct attack

Small fire direct attack

• structure protection &

structure protection &

• mop

mop-

• up

up

‘ ‘Dozers and Cats Dozers and Cats

• Bulldozers and Tractor

Bulldozers and Tractor plows plows

• Effective initial attack &

Effective initial attack & indirect attack indirect attack

• Remember the

Remember the fireline fireline rule rule

• f thumb? Cut line at least
• f thumb? Cut line at least

1.5x the height of the fuels? 1.5x the height of the fuels? What happens when you What happens when you have 150 have 150’ ’ fuels? fuels?

• Limited by:

Limited by:

• CATLINE:

CATLINE: Terrain Terrain… …N.T.E. 55% slope, N.T.E. 55% slope, 45% 45% sidehill sidehill operations

• perations
• Also very useful in post

Also very useful in post-

• fire rehabilitation

fire rehabilitation

Tractor Plow Line Width Example

Air Attack Air Attack

• Two types:

Two types:

• Fixed Wing

Fixed Wing

• Helicopters

Helicopters

Air Attack: Fixed Wing Air Attack: Fixed Wing

• Used for Initial Attack, Indirect Attack

Used for Initial Attack, Indirect Attack

• Capable of long line construction

Capable of long line construction

• Tanks: Salvo, Trail, Split

Tanks: Salvo, Trail, Split

• High value targets

High value targets

• Limitations

Limitations

• Air Density & Heat

Air Density & Heat

• Tank Size

Tank Size

• Winds

Winds

• Cost$

Cost$

• Fire Intensity & Spotting Behavior

Fire Intensity & Spotting Behavior

• Significant danger to ground personnel

Significant danger to ground personnel

Fixed Wing Fixed Wing

• Aerial Tankers

Aerial Tankers

• Defined by size, type of

Defined by size, type of retardant retardant

• Retardant:

Retardant:

• Water

Water

• Short term: short duration

Short term: short duration effectiveness effectiveness

• Long term: inhibits flame

Long term: inhibits flame after evaporation after evaporation

• Usually some form of

Usually some form of ammonium w/ rapid ammonium w/ rapid decomposition decomposition

Air Attack: Helicopter Air Attack: Helicopter

• Best used for:

Best used for:

• Initial Attack / direct attack

Initial Attack / direct attack

• Transports personnel, supplies & water

Transports personnel, supplies & water

• Short turn around (can be based at the fire)

Short turn around (can be based at the fire)

• Limits:

Limits:

• Weight: poor air

Weight: poor air denisty denisty & heat performance & heat performance

• Cost$

Cost$

More lingo: More lingo:

• Backfiring: intentional

Backfiring: intentional ignition of fuels in ignition of fuels in between the fire between the fire-

• line

line and the fire and the fire

• Burn

Burn-

• out: (see backfire)
• ut: (see backfire)

common usage: a really, common usage: a really, really big backfire, lit by really big backfire, lit by pyrotechnics, or pyrotechnics, or heli heli-

• torch

torch

Modern Suppression Problems: Modern Suppression Problems:

• Since 1988, there is a growing trend towards large,

Since 1988, there is a growing trend towards large, uncontrollable fires (climate, fuels, etc.) uncontrollable fires (climate, fuels, etc.)

• Costs are prohibitive

Costs are prohibitive

• 2007 costs: ~ $911

2007 costs: ~ $911 millon millon, will exceed $1 billon by 2009 , will exceed $1 billon by 2009

• Most funding based on emergency

Most funding based on emergency… …normal logistic funding has been cut normal logistic funding has been cut in half in half – – fires eat up budgets fires eat up budgets

• Suppression Backfire: 100+ years of suppression has added to

Suppression Backfire: 100+ years of suppression has added to fuel loads fuel loads

• WUI:

WUI: Wildland Wildland Urban Interface. Our housing is encroaching Urban Interface. Our housing is encroaching

• nto
• nto wildlands

wildlands at risk at risk

• The

The techo techo-

• fetishism mentality:

fetishism mentality:

• Bigger more expensive toys will fix the problem, rather than lon

Bigger more expensive toys will fix the problem, rather than long term g term management for ecological balance management for ecological balance