Wildland Fire Safety & Tactics

WILDFIRE FORESTRY FIREFIGHTING

SAFETY POLICY
-Injuries can be prevented
-Everyone must be trained to work and behave in a safe manner
-Every supervisor is responsible for the prevention of injuries
-Every employee has a responsibility to work safely

The number one goal is to keep its firefighters safe.

The OBJECTIVES of the fire suppression crews on a wildland fire include

Vigorous initial attack
Hand line construction
Water delivery and Hose Lays
Mop up

DETECTION AND REPORTING
On Approach, Note the following:
-Location and size
-Smoke color, density and volume
-Wind Speed and direction
-Fuel type
-Terrain (slope, aspect, open area)
-Access
-Resources on site
click here to view Wildland Fire slides

If fire is too big to deal with, Immediately call for help!

FIRE BEHAIVIOR GOALS
-Recognize hazards
-Identify 2 escape routes, and safety zones
-Anticipate problems
-Communicate effectively: understand directions and strategy, give clear crew briefings
-Demonstrate advanced planning
-Make decisions under pressure

Fire Types include: subsurface fires, surface fires and crown fires.

If crowning starts - back out and reassess

For rank 2/3 remove ladder fuel


FIRE BEHAIVIOUR- THREE KEY FACTORS

-Fuel – Weather - Topography

The ISI doubles with every 13 km/hr increase of wind
More wind = more fuel is eaten up
A large fire can create its own winds.

Be aware of fire behavior advisories

FIRE RANK

Rank 1: smoldering ground or creeping surface fire - ablt to put out with garden hose or fire guard

Rank 2: low vigor surface fire, able to put out with hand tools and garden hose or
fire guard. Surround and drown. Fire moves less than 1.5 m/min.

Rank 3: moderately vigorous surface fire, act fast, put out with heavy equipment i.e.
bulldozer, aircraft with bambi bucket and retardant, pumpers, surround and
drown, construct fireguard. Fire moves at 1.5-3 m/min.

Rank 4: highly vigorous surface fire, or passive crowning fire starts (candling), call for back up, moves at 3- 6m/min.

Rank 5: Extremely Vigorous Surface Fire or Active Crown Fire - start heading to Tim Hortons and wait it out! Back out of area. An air tanker may knock fire down. Moves at 6-18 m/min.

Rank 6: Blowup or Conflagration Fire - air tanker becomes ineffective. Don’t even attempt to suppress fire.
Moves at 18+m/min

FIRE BEHAIVOR INDEXES
Initial Spread Index is a numerical rating of expected rate of spread

Build up Index is a numerical rating of the total fuel available for combustion

Fire weather Index is a numerical rating of fire intensity.

BRIEFING
- Establish who is in command and share plan of attack,
- Plan 2 escape routes, and safe areas
- Check radio coms
- Discuss possible dangers
- Inform f.f’s rank of fire, winds, weather and topography,
- Assign a first Aid Attendant to the fire or call in BCAS for standby
- Ensure all crew members know their tasks.
- Answer any questions


WATCH OUT!
Weather dominates fire behavior so keep informed
Action is based on what the fire is doing and what it could do
Try out at least two escape routes
Communications keep in contact
Hazards watch for snags, flash fuels, chimneys and draws
Firefighting near powerlines - Safe work procedures
-DON'T park under power lines.
-DON'T direct nozzle streams onto power lines.
-DON'T stand near power lines during retardant drops.
-DON'T stand or work in dense smoke near power lines.
-Stay at least 30 metres away from downed power lines.

Observe changes in Wind RH Clouds and Danger trees
Understand your instructions
Think clearly and be alert. Act before your situation becomes critical

ATTACKING THE FIRE
-Danger Tree assess before crew goes in to fire area
-Remove fuel by cutting a path or trail between fuel supply and fire
-set up hose lay around the perimeter of fire then branch off into the fire with garden hose
-remove O2 by shoveling soil on spots or use low concentration of foam
-remove heat through the use of water

TYPES OF ATTACK
Direct Attack: control line is right at fire’s edge.
Flanking Attack: control line is close to fire’s edge, attack parallel to fire direction - work toward head of fire.
Indirect Attack: control line is at a distance ahead of the fire, i.e. back firing is done

Report progress among crews and IC

Establish a fireguard i.e. hand guard or a natural guard such as road

Mop up: cool ash pits, extinguish the fire completely

Cold trail: check for hot spots with bare hands, check everywhere

TOOL RULES
1) keep sharps covered
2) don’t leave tools where they may be walked into or onto
3) secure during transport
4) carry at waist level
5) pass tools, handles first, don’t throw
6) when working in a group, keep a 3 m distance
7) keep 2 tree lengths away from heavy machinery

IF IN DOUBT BACK OUT!