Paper – draft due: Nov. 9 Group presentation: Nov. 18 Updates

NREM 390 – 2 November 2010 FIRE SUPPRESSION

Wildland Fire Categories of wildland fire Wildfire A fire that is unwanted (from an anthropocentric point of view) with various means of ignition Prescribed Fire (human-ignited, natural-ignited) A fire that is wanted for management goals, and thus promoted Escaped fire A term to describe a fire in transition to wildfire

The elimination or management of one or more parts of the fire triangle to prevent unwanted fire ignition and/or spread FUEL Separate fuel from other fuel (fireline) Eliminate by burning or mechanical removal HEAT Reduce heat with water, dirt, foam Inhibit combustion process by adding chemical retardants OXYGEN Smother the fire to remove oxygen Only special cases where this is possible What is Fire Suppression?

Strategies for Fire Suppression: Direct and Indirect Attack Direct Attack Attempt at immediate fire suppression; should be done by experienced personnel given enhanced risks Indirect Attack More typical, involves build-up of resources and planning for fire suppression May use other techniques

Strategies for Fire Suppression: Control, contain, confine Control Use of all resources to completely put the fire out (federal government approach, e.g., old “10:00 AM rule”) Contain Using suppression methods to maintain a fire within defined areas Confine Allowing a fire to burn without active suppression as long as it remains within defined areas Where would a prescribed fire operation typically fall?

Methods of Fire Suppression: Direct Control, Perimeter Control, Prescription Control DIRECT CONTROL Immediate & complete extinguishment of fire (removal of one or more parts of the fire triangle) Typically used on small, isolated incidents (local actions) or smaller parts of large fire complexes Examples? What concept was a famous means of direct control?

Methods of Fire Suppression: Perimeter control Encirclement of a fire, confinement of active parts of a fire to prevent further fire spread Most common means of fire control in most situations Hotspotting selectively attacking active potions through direct control When would the fire be contained? Or controlled? Contained: fire surrounded by a complete break in fuels Controlled: fireline strengthened such that flareups can not cross the fire break

Methods of Fire Suppression: Prescription Control Fire considered to be under prescription control as long as it meets certain criteria, e.g., geographic boundaries, fire behavior, weather conditions (= “the prescription” of a fire management plan) Suppression actions may be take to confine the fire (= “confinement” or a “confined fire”) Many of the same tactics utilized as with perimeter control

Parts of a Fire Origin Point of ignition at which fire began Flank Sides of the fire or burning area Heading fire (Head Fire) Leading edge of the fire as determined by wind, slope, fuels Backing fire Fire that is moving against prevailing abiotic factors

Parts of a Fire Spot Fires New fires or bodies of fire ignited by embers transported away from main body into receptive fuels Pockets Unburned “peninsula” of fuel Finger Fire that has split off from main body and begun moving in its own (parallel) direction Island Unburned fuel within a fire area Black Area within the perimeter of a fire already burned out

Tactics for Fire Suppression: Firelines Handline = built by crew using handtools (mineral soils) Wetline = created by inundating fuels with water Plowline, catline, tractor line = created by heavy equipment (mineral soil) Mowed line = fuel cut & removed Retardant line – lines made with chemicals Foam line – lines made with chemical foams Hotline – Fireline constructed in direct attack Blackline = burning out area to eliminate fuels

Building firelines Handline built by crew using handtools (mineral soils)

Blackline: Burning out an area to eliminate fuels

Hotline: Fireline constructed under direct attack

Tactics: Firing Operations Burning out cleaning out pockets of fuel by burning (parallel method of attack) Backfiring (“counterfiring”, “suppression firing”)  Fire used as part of indirect attack  Burning large amounts of fuel in advance of the main fire (usually into the wind; not always)  Replaces a fire over which direct control is impossible with a fire for which some control is likely

Photo Example

Burning out Backfiring

Functional Model for Fire Suppression Report/Dispatch Initial report & response to a new fire (wildfire) or report to dispatch of new fire (prescribed) Size-up Taking stock of what the fire is doing upon arrival Matching the available suppression resources with the character of the fire Initial Attack First resources on scene begin to address incident after sizing-up incident “Smokechasing”

Functional Model for Fire Suppression Extended Attack When fire has grown too large to be managed strictly on I-A and more resources are needed over a longer period of time Mop-up Completely extinguishing all flame and burning fuels within a burn area Demobilization Breaking down of a fire operation: I-A resources leave scene, reverse of build-up Rehabilitation If needed, rehabilitation of burned area: removal of equipment, repairing line, replanting if needed

Cerro Grande Fire Fire Management Plan (10 years) Phase 1 – grasslands in upper portion of unit Phase 2 – forested area on east and west sides Phase 3 – central wetter area Prescribed Fire – 2000 Only Phase 1 Escaped fire  wildfire  fire suppression Threatened the towns of Los Alamos and White Rock (18,000 residents) Threatened the Los Alamos National Laboratory

Bandelier National Monument: Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire

Scenarios 1) Slopover of main fire into the Sante Fe National Forest Direct attack, hotspotting, direct control, mop-up 2) Slopover of main fire into the Sante Fe National Forest Burning out, coldtrailing, coldtrail, safety zone 3) Spotting from main fire into the Phase III burn unit Smokechasing, prescription control, fireline, confinement 4) Spotting from main fire into the Phase III burn unit, wind from the north increasing in speed Anchor point, backfiring, perimeter control, extended attack, escape route

Scenarios 5) Spotting from main fire into the SE Phase II burn unit, wind shift so that it is gusting from the west Sizeup, Fireline (explain what kind), perimeter control, backfiring, anchor point 6) Change in wind direction: originally from the N, now coming from the NE and becoming gusty, causing fire to spread into Baca Ranch Hotline, Contain, fireline (explain what kind), counterfiring, backing fire, lookout