Wildfire interview Flashcards
Approximately how many forest fires does BC get per year?
~1600
Name the 6 fire centre regions (hint NW-SE)
+ capitols
Northwest fire centre (smithers) Prince George Fire centre (prince george) Coastal Fire centre (Parksville) Cariboo Fire centre (Williams lake) Kamloops Fire centre (Kamloops) Southeast Fire centre (Castlegar)
When could a wildfire be deemed beneficial?
- Naturally occuring
- Not a threat to public safety or property.
Fire Response type (1/3)
FULL RESPONSE
The wildfire requires immediate initial attack and/or sustained suppression action until the fire is declared “out”.
Fire Response type (2/3)
MODIFIED RESPONSE
The wildfire is managed using a combination of suppression techniques, including direct and indirect attack, and monitoring to steer, contain or otherwise manage fire activity within a pre-determined perimeter (to minimize costs and/or damage and to maximize benefits from the fire).
Fire Response type (3/3)
MONITERED
The wildfire is observed and assessed to determine the appropriate response option to minimize social disruption and/or significant impacts on values and resources, while achieving beneficial ecological, economic or resource management objectives.
Fire Stage of Control (1/4)
OUT OF CONTROL
Describes a wildfire that is not responding (or only responding on a limited basis) to suppression action, such that the perimeter spread is not being contained.
Fire Stage of Control (2/4)
BEING HELD
Indicates that (with the resources currently committed to the fire) sufficient suppression action has been taken that the fire is not likely to spread beyond existing or predetermined boundaries under the prevailing and forecasted conditions.
Fire Stage of Control (3/4)
UNDER CONTROL
The fire has received sufficient suppression action to ensure no further spread of the fire.
Fire Stage of Control (4/4)
OUT
The fire has been extinguished.
3 elements required for a wildfire
Fuel - [organic matter]
Oxygen - [air]
Heat - [to ignite and burn. from lighting or human sources.]
How are natural wildfires ignited
Almost always lightning
How are human caused wildfires ignited
open burning, dropping cigarettes, vehicle engines etc
How are wildfires detected?
- Public calls (*5555)
- Air patrols
- Fire wardens
- Computer technology
- Lookout stations
How does slope affect wildfire spread?
- Fire generally moves faster upslope rather than downslope
- Steeper the slope, faster the spread
Rank 1 Fire
Smouldering ground fire
- Smouldering ground fire
- No open flame
- White smoke
- Very slow spread
- Direct attack by ground crews using hand tools and water delivery systems.
Rank 2 Fire
Low vigor surface fire
- Surface fire visible
- Open flame
- Inconsistent flame front
- Slow rate of spread
- Direct attack by ground crews using hand tools and water delivery systems, or heavy equipment.
- Hand constructed control lines
Rank 3 Fire
Moderately vigorous surface
- Organized flame front
- Occasional candling
- Moderate rate of spread
- Ground crews
- Air support
- Control lines constructed by heavy equipment.
Rank 4 Fire
Highly vigorous surface fire
- Grey to black smoke
- Organized flame front
- moderate to fast rate of spread
- Short aerial bursts through the forest canopy
- Short range spotting
- Indirect tactics
- Parallel attack may be used along fires flanks to direct fire head into favorable direction.
- Air support
Rank 5 Fire
Extremely vigorous surface fire/Active crown fire
- Black to copper smoke
- Organized crown fire front
- Moderate to long range spotting
- Indirect attack
- planned ignitions in fires path
Rank 6 Fire
Blow up or conflagration
- Organized crown fire front
- Long range spotting
- Possible fireballs/whirls
- Violent fire behavior
- Dominant smoke column
- Prepare structural protection measures
- Indirect large scale ignitions
- Wait for fire behavior to lessen before re-engaging
what is the fitness test called
WFX-FIT
what are the 4 types of fire crews?
Unit crew: 20 man ground crews
Initial attack crew: 3 man crew. First on scene.
Parattack crews: Parachutefrom fixed wing planes into hard to access locations.
Rapattack crews: Rappel from rotary wing aircraft (heli’s) into hard to access terrain.
What does a unit crew do?
- Establish pump and hose lines
- Dig fire guards
- Burn off fuel from fires path
- Chainsaw down danger trees
Purpose of air support?
- Initial attack on wildfires that threaten to exceed ground crews capabilities
- Hold ground until until ground resources arrive
- Controlled drops to limit fire spread
- Cool down hotspots
Types of fixed wing aircrafts
- Land based air tanker
- Amphibious air tanker (skimmers)
Uses of Helicopters
- Primarily for crew transportation
- Fire observation
- Dropping fire retardant via bucket
Types of fire retardant
- Retardant (dropped ahead of fire line in order to slow the spread)
- Foam (absorbs heat from combustion while releasing water into fuels)
- Water (suppress/extinguishes. typically used by ground crews or buckets/skimmers)
