Wildland Fire Flashcards
What are the three basic types of ground cover fires?
Ground fire
Surface fire
Crown fire
What are the three factors of the wildland fire triangle?
Weather
Fuel
Topography
In regards to weather, what are the four variables that influence fire weather?
Relative humidity
Temperature
Wind
Precipitation
What are the three sides of the fire triangle?
Heat
Oxyen
Fuel
What is the acronym LACES?
Lookouts Anchor Points Communications Escape Routes Safety Zones
What is a lookout?
This is a place that is used to watch the fire from a vantage point with a clear view.
What is an anchor point?
These are advantageous locations to start or finish fighting a fire on a fire line or leading edge of a fire.
What are communications?
This is when the officer must give clear instructions and ensure that they are understood. FF must understand all instructions or ask for clarification if uncertain.
What are escape routes?
These are retreat paths that provide rapid access to safety zones.
A fire burning uphill on a moderate slope (0%-40%) will double in speed when going to a steep slope (40%-70%), and will double again when going from a steep to a very steep slope (70%-100%)
By the time it has gone from 0-40 to the 70-100 it has increased 4x!
It burns more as it goes up hill!
This was on an exam.
What are two methods of direct attack for wildland fires? Explain both of these.
Flanking attack uses a single crew working from an anchor point along one edge of the fire.
A pincer or parallel attack uses two crews to attack both edges of the fire, starting from anchor points.
What is crossover?
When the increasing temperature in degree Celsius and the decreasing relative humidity in percentage are equal or approaching the same value, fire problems are likely. When crossover has occurred and temperatures are higher than the relative humidity, extreme fire behaviour is likely and control may be impossible to achieve safely.
Appropriate PPE for wild land firefighting on the CFD includes what items?
FR coveralls, approved helmet, turnout boots, fire gloves, safety goggles, N95 mask, and hearing protection.
What is the wildland fire fighting equipment carried on CFD engines?
Individual PPE, fire brooms, collapsible back pack hand pumps, 2x30m 19mm forestry hose, 2x15m 19mm forestry hose, 4 brass nozzles, 2x25mm gated wyes, 2x38mm female - 25mm make adapter.
What is generally the safest place to be in a wild land fire?
The black. The area where the fire has burned already, eliminating most of the fuel.
In the fire business, what humidity percentage is a humid, dry, and very dry condition?
Humid: 50%-60% and above
Dry: less than 30%
Very dry: less then 20%
What are three general classes of fuels in a wild land setting?
Aerial, surface, and ground.
Aspect also commonly affects the types of vegetation which grows on slopes, leading to differences in fuel loading. What slopes are usually covered with fine fuels due to reduced soil moisture and which can grow larger fuels due to greater soil moisture?
South and west facing slopes usually are covered with fine fuels due to reduced soil moisture as a result of solar heating, whereas north and east facing slopes can grow larger fuels sue to greater soil moisture.
When creating a fire line, what is a good starting point for width?
A good starting point is 1.5x the height of the burning material.
What is candling?
A single tree is said to ‘‘candle’’ when its foliage flares up from the bottom to top.
What is mop up?
The act of making the fire safer after it has been controlled, such as extinguishing or removing burning material along or near the control line, felling dead trees (snags), and trenching logs to prevent rolling.
What is spotting?
Firebrands carried by the surface wind, a fire whirl, and/or convection column that fall beyond the main fire perimeter and result in spot fires.
What is a strike team?
Specified combinations of the same kind and type resources, with common communications and a leader.
What is torching?
A small clump of trees is said to ‘‘torch’’ when its foliage ignites and flares up, usually from bottom to top.
Fire related injuries and fatalities…
Wildfire fires that result in injury and death are common to many parts of the world.
Almost 90% of fire caused fatalities occur in fine fuels, such as grass and low brush.
When creating a fire line, what is a best practice?
Throw all burned or charred material into the black.
Scatter all cut and unburned materials in the green.
Remove all branches that hang over the fire line.
