Lab Exam Review Flashcards
approximately how many fire monitoring stations in Alberta?
120 Lookout Towers
45 Ranger Stations
35 Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS)
almost 200 total
When are observations taken?
Daily at 1300 hrs
What is recorded in these observations?
temperature high and low for last 24 hrs relative humidity and dew point wind speed, direction and gusts (15 km more that avg w.s.) precipitation Additional info at manned weather stations: obstruction to visibility cloud type sky condition
define temperature and when is it taken?
daily at 0800, then reset.
degree of warmth or cold as measured on a definite scale.
what is a minimum thermometer and maximum thermometer
minimum: used to measure present temperature as well as, the minimum temperature in the last 24 hours
maximum: displays the maximum temperature in the last 24 hours
how is relative humidity found?
consulting a specific table using dry and wet bulb temperatures. the Fan Psychrometer is used to determine these.
what is wind?
horizontal movement of air. wind direction is the direction that the wind is coming from. the Anemometer is used to measure the 10-minute, open wind speed.
what is precipitation?
any product resulting from the condensation of atmospheric moisture, which is deposited on the earths surface.
3 forms: liquid, freezing, frozen
is recorded in millimeters
precipitation gauge.
what are the 2 types of cloud appearance?
Stratiform: layer clouds = stable atmosphere
Cumuliform: vertically developing clouds = unstable atmosphere
3 types of cloud height
high clouds = Cirro- 20,000ft or higher
middle clouds = Alto- 6,500ft to 20,000ft
low clouds = Strato- surface to 6,500ft
High Clouds
Cirrus
almost exclusively ice crystals, have a clean white appearance
thin or nearly transparent, sun can be seen through them
may be stratiform or cumulifrom
Middle Clouds
Alto
range from white to grey
white = ice crystals, grey = water vapour
may be stratiform or cumuliform
2 important middle cloud types
Altocumulus Castellanus (ACC) well defined turrets giving it a castle appearance, if form early in day indicated atm instability and could have thunderstorm later Lenticular clouds (LENS) distinctive lens shape with thin edges, down wind end frayed. Form when sting winds flow over a north-south trending mountain range. indicates strong winds aloft, tend to put a drown on fires which increases burning intensity
Low Clouds
Strato
stratiform or cumuliform
can be grey or white
low cumuliform classified separately from layer clouds
non-consecutive low clouds classed as “L” in forestry system
Cumulus (CU)
updrafts only
usually no precipitation
low vertical development
no substantial vertical growth when observed for 10-15 minutes
Towering Cumulus (CU+)
up and down drafts may have precipitation Is growing vertically. may be individual towers or turrets rising from main body 2-3 minutes - visible change
Cumulonimbus (CB)
down drafts only
rain, hail or both
very large, in final stage of development.
often very dark and ominous looking, has in anvil shape from geostrophic winds
thunder and lightening present along with precipitation
what is Verga
precipitation that falls from the cloud that is reabsorbed into the drier atmosphere below
looks like streaks angling out from the base of the cloud
how are down drafts generated?
rain falling out of a mature thunderstorm dragging moist cool air with in. this air is compressed and warmed. strongest down drafts at front of cell
Define the fire weather index (FWI)
quantifies danger in terms of ease of ignition, rate of spread, difficulty of control and fire impact
define Fire Danger
assessment of both fixed and variable factors of the fire environment which determine the ease of ignition, rate of spread, difficulty of control and fire impact.
Fire Weather Observations
Temperature, Relative Humidity, Wind, Rain
Fuel Moisture Codes
FFMC, DMC, DC
Fire Behaviour Indexes
ISI, BUI, FWI
describe ISI
Initial Spread Index the potential forward rate of spread in fine fuels influenced by FFMC and Wind 0 - 100+ critical threshold is 10
describe BUI
Build Up Index the amount of fuel available for consumption influenced by DMC and DC 0 - 200+ critical threshold is 60
describe FWI
Fire Weather Index the potential fire intensity influenced by ISI and BUI 0 - 70+ critical threshold is 30
describe FFMC
Fine Fuel Moisture Code moisture content on cured fine fuels, litter and twigs < 1cm indicative of relative ease of ignition influenced by Temp, RH, Wind, Rain 0 - 96 Critical threshold is 90 0.6mm precip or more makes value drop
describe DMC
Duff Moisture Code
moisture content of loosely compacted duff 5-10 cm deep and medium branches
indicates probability of lightening fires
influenced by Temp, RH, Rain
0 - 150+
Critical threshold is 60
1.5mm+ drops value
describe DC
Drought Code
moisture content of deep compacted organic fuels and large woody fuels
Indicates relative control and mop-up difficulties
influenced by Temp, Rain
0 - 800+
Critical threshold is 300
2.9mm+ precip drops value
describe HFI
Head Fire Index
numerical ranking of difficulty of control for specific fuel types
1 - 6
Critical threshold is 3
Fire Weather Index Values (flip)
0 - 5 Low Green
6 - 14 Moderate Blue
15 - 22 High Yellow
23 - 30 Very High Orange
31+ Extreme Red
Fire Pumps
Mark 3 and Floto-Pump
Mark 3 pre operation
have plastic sheet underneath
tie pump down
check water so suction pump is clear and only taking in clean water (tied to shovel or overhanging log)
prime pump with water, no air left
attach ball valve to protect from back pressure
attach by-pass line to ball valve for return water
Mark 3 operation
HEARING PROTECTION
reset rod pushed in
prime engine with primer bulb (not necessary is warmed up)
cold start = choke on
set throttle to start
pull cord till engine starts
IMPORTANT: once started let idle for 2 minutes w/out increasing throttle to run position
Mark 3 shut down
ease back on throttle to stop and let idle down for 1 minute
disconnect fuel line
disconnect and drain pump and hoses
what is Head
elevation difference between fire and pumping site. creates back pressure
equal to 0.5 psi/foot of elevation gain OR divide elevation in feet by 2
what is Friction
loss is caused by the type and length of hose laid out between pump and the fire
minimum psi required at nozzle to work fire effectively?
25 psi
calculation for pump pressure
Pump pressure output (275 psi) - Head + Friction Loss
Single pump system
water source to pump, to 3 way valve (for by-line) to nozzle or second 3 way valve for two nozzles
Parallel Pump System
water source to two independent pumps each with own by-pass line, to 3 way valve, to nozzle or second 3 way valve for two nozzles
Tandem Pump System
water source to single pump, to second single pump. to 3 way valve for by-pass, to nozzle or second 3 way valve for two nozzles
pump A should run slighting higher than pump B to maintain water pressure
C-1
Spruce- Lichen Woodland
-open stands of black spruce in dense clumps on well-drained upland sites
C-2
boreal spruce
-moderately well-stocked black spruce stands on upland and lowland sites
C-3
Mature jack or lodgepole pine
-fully stocked (1000-2000 stems/ha) mature jack pine or lodgepole pine stands
C-4
immature jack or lodgepole pine
-pure dense (10 000-30 000 stems/ha) stands of immature jack pine or lodgepole pine
C-5
red and white pine
-moderately well-stocked stands of red and white pine.
C-6
conifer plantation
-pure, fully stocked conifer plantations with full crown closure
C-7
ponderosa pine/douglas fir
-open, mature, uneven-aged stands of ponderosa pine and douglas-fir
D-1
leafless aspen
-pure, semi-mature, moderately well-stocked stands of trembling aspen
M-1
Boreal mixedwood-leafless
-moderately well- stocked stands of boreal coniferous and percent coniferous and deciduous composition.
M-2
boreal mixedwood- green
-moderately well- stocked stands of boreal coniferous and percent coniferous and deciduous composition.
M-3
dead balsam fir/mixedwood-leafless
-moderately well-stocked stands of black and white spruce, jack pine or white birch with dead balsam fir.
M-4
dead balsam fir/mixedwood-green
-moderately well-stocked stands of black and white spruce, jack pine or white birch with dead balsam fir.
S-1
jack or lodgepole pine slash
-clear-cut logging slash from mature jack pine or lodgepole pine stands
S-2
spruce/balsam slash
-clear-cut logging slash from mature or over-mature stands os white and or engelmann spruce and subalpine fir
S-3
coastal cedar/hemlock/douglas-fir slash
-slash resulting from higher-lead logging of mature to overmature western red cedar, western hemlock and douglas-fir
O-1a
matted grass
-occasional trees or shrub clumps
O-1b
standing grass
-occasional trees or shrub clumps
