1. Essentials of Brush & Wildland Firefighting Updated August-2019

2. References Essentials of Fire Fighting, Chapter 15
5th Edition
National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG)
Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior 1

3. Specific Objectives
1. Influences on wildland fire behavior: fuel, weather, and topography.
2. Describe terms of reference of a wildland fire.
3. List wildland protective clothing and equipment.
4. Describe methods used to attack wildland fires 2

4. Wildland Fires Common Wildland Fires in Virginia Beach
Fire Pits in backyards
Burning Leaves
Brush - First Landing State Park
Brush - Owl’s Creek Golf Course
Mulch
Crops - Pungo, Blackwater
Wetlands - Great Dismal Swamp
Courtesy of National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). 3

5. Fire Triangle
Fire triangle consist of Oxygen, Heat, & Fuel. Take away any of the three and combustion stops. 4

6. Heat Transfer
Radiation: heat generated from burning object affecting adjacent object.
Convection: is the transfer of heat through the movement of liquid or gas. Wildland fires the gases often rise on a column.
Conduction: Heat transfer from one object to another from direct contact. Wildland fuels are NOT a good conductor of heat. 5

7. Wildland Fires - Fuel Surface Fuel
Surface fuels burn on the forest floor. Fuels include ground debris, grasses, leaves, vegetation, brush, young trees and lower branches of standing timber. The spread rate of surface fires depends on the density, size, slope of the terrain, and weather conditions. With surface fires, fire suppression usually includes direct attack with water and removal of fuels. Mop-up may vary from easy to difficult depending on the terrain and fuel types. 6

8. Wildland Fires - Fuel Subsurface Fuel
Subsurface fuels consist of duff (topsoil, partially decayed leaves, peat and tree needles) and decayed woody material at a depth that may vary from 3-4" in dry areas and 3' in wet areas. Because these types of combustible material are compact, they have limited oxygen supply and are protected from wind, a persistent slow burning fire is produced and both fire suppression and mop-up become difficult. 7

9. Wildland Fires - Fuel Aerial Fuel
Aerial fuels burn in the upper foliage and the crowns of standing timber in conjunction with surface fires. In some cases, a running crown fire may develop. This is a fire that travels through the tops of the trees ahead of the surface fire, and generally travels as fast as the wind pushing it. 8

10. Wildland Fires - Weather
Wind - Increases supply of oxygen
Drives convection heat into adjacent fuels
Influences spread direction and spotting
Carries moist air away replacing it with drier air
Dries Fuels
Temperature
Effects fuels and the firefighter
Relative humidity
As RH increases, fuel moisture increases
Precipitation
Increases fuel moisture 9

11. Wildland Fires - Topography
Steepness of slope affects both rate and direction of a wildland fire’s spread
Fires will usually spread faster uphill than down; steeper the slope, faster fire spreads
Courtesy of Tony Bacon. 10

12. Wildland Fires - Parts 11

13. Wildland Fires - Parts 12

14. Wildland - PPE
PPE should meet NFPA® 1977 Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting
NFPA® 1500 specifies the minimum PPE
Helmet, Gloves, Goggles or Safety Glasses, Boots, Shirt, Pants, 13

15. Wildland - PPE
Brush Certified Technicians will be provided NFPA 1977 compliant wildland gear. Firefighters and Brush Certified Technicians are required to wear all wildland fire protective clothing provided to them. 14

16. Wildland - Hand Tools Shovels Rakes Axe Brush Axe Chain saw
Pulaski tool
Indian Can / Water Can 15

17. Wildland Fires - Methods
Perimeter control
Flanking
Firebreak
Control lines - maybe near the perimeter edge or a distance away. May also completely encompass the fire.
Backfire or Backburning
Aerial
Knockdown
Mop-up 16

18. Wildland Fire - Approaches
Direct attack is action taken directly against the fire at the edge or closely parallel – most common method of attack
Indirect attack is action taken at varying distances to control the advancement of the fire
Cutting a fire break
Setting back fires
Because wildland fire is constantly changing, attack methods may change 17

19. Cutting a Fire Break 18

20. Successful Fire Break 19

21. Wildland Fires - Backfires
A backfire or controlled burn is a fire that is set deliberately in the path of an oncoming fire. The backfire consumes fuel, thereby depriving the primary fire of fuel when it reaches the site. 20

22. Brush 8 - Equipment 21 200 gallon water tank / 250gpm Pump
Onboard diesel pump
200ft 1” booster reel
150ft 1½” pre-connect w/fog nozzle
50ft 1½” line for floating pump
200ft 1½” forestry hose
600ft 1” forestry hose
425ft 2½” supply line
POK nozzles – Class A&B foam sticks
Indian cans
Hand tools, brush rake, axe, shovels
Chain saw
Floating pump with 1½ supply
Water can
3 5’ sections of 2½” hard drafting hose & strainer
EMS Jump Bag, Backboard, BBP/Disease Kit, C-Collar’s
Onboard winch and recovery gear 21

23. UTV-8 - Equipment 65 gallon water tank Onboard electric start pump
POK nozzles
100ft 1” booster reel
Hand tools, shovels, rake, axe
Water can
200ft 1” forestry hose
50ft 1½” supply line
4 5’ sections of drafting hose & strainer 22

24. Wildland Fires - Standards
Keep informed on fire conditions - know what the fire is doing at all times
Keep informed on weather conditions and forecasts
Keep informed on you and your crews location as pertained to the incident
Maintain communications with your crew
Make sure you know where your crew is at all times
Maintain communications with IC or your assigned command
Provide clear/precise communications, make sure communications are understood
Fight the fire aggressively, providing for safety first
Base your actions on current, expected behavior of the fire 23

25. Wildland Fires - Standards
Post lookouts if necessary or when there is possible danger
Unpredictable winds
Rapidly changing weather conditions
Identify escape routes and safety zones, make sure they are known
Be alert, keep calm, think clearly, act decisively 24

26. Summary
Attacking wildland fires early in their development is an important aspect of a successful fire fighting operation.
Selecting and applying the most effective fire attack strategy and tactics are important.
Water supplies and water management are crucial to wildland firefighting.
Failing to do any of these things can result in a fire growing out of control, an increase in fire damage and property loss, and possibly firefighter injuries. 25

27. Summary
Firefighters and Brush Certified Technicians are required to know how to use the fire fighting tools and techniques adopted by their departments. They need to know how to safely and effectively attack and extinguish wildland fires. 26

28. Review Questions 1. What are the different types of wildland fuels?
2. How does weather affect a wildland fire? (wind, temperature, humidity, precipitation)
3. What are the terms of reference for a wildland fire?
4. What is a direct attack of a wildland fire?
5. What is a indirect attack of a wildland fire? 27

29. Review Questions 6. Name 5 common wildland fire hand tools?
7. Name 4 wildland firefighting methods?
8. Name the three types of heat transfer?
9. What is the most common type of heat transfer in a wildland fire?
10. What are the two NFPA standards that pertain to protective clothing and minimum PPE? 28

30. Continued Training 1. Complete the Brush Technician training syllabus
2. Perform continued minimum training on Brush 8
3. Perform continued minimum training on UTV 8
4. Perform continued minimum training on wildland firefighting
5. City of VB trailer course (8 hours)
6. Complete National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NCWG) online classes - (S-110 & S-190) 29