Wildland- Ground Cover Fires. Flashcards
LACES
Lookout
Anchor Point
Communication
Escape route
Safety zone
Breakover
A fire edge that crosses a control line or natural barrier intended to confine the fire.
Candling
When a single tree ignites and flares up from the bottom to the top.
Crowning
A fire ascending into the crowns of trees and spreading from crown to crown.
Lookout
A person designated to observe the fire or a portion of a fire and warn the crew when there are changes.
Topography
The land surface configuration
Torching
When a small clump of trees’ folliage ignites and flairs up.
Three types of wildland fires.
Ground fire.
Surface fire.
Crown fire.
Wildland Fire Behaviour Triange:
Weather, Topography, Fuel.
Wild land fuel can be classified into how many main categories.
2; Dead and live.
What is the single most important factor that determines fire behaviour in wildland?
Fuel moisture content.
Four variables that influence fire weather are:
Relative humidity, temperature, wind, precipitation.
The actual amount of water vapour in the air compared to what it could hold is:
Relative humidity.
What is RH considered a humid condition?
Greater than 60%
Term when temperature in ⁰C and RH in % are equal.
Crossover- extreme fire behavior is likely and control may be impossible.
Topography is broken into these 4 major categories:
Aspect, Steepness, Shape of the country, Barriers.
Define Aspect.
The direction (of the landscape) with respect to sinlight and wind.
Rule-of-thumb for spread increase:
A fire burning uphill on a moderate slope (0-40%) will double in speed when transitioned to a steep slope (40%-70%), and will double again when transitioned to a very steep slope (70%-100%).
Fire Danger Rating:
Low: Fires will not start readily and will burn slowly.
Moderate: Rate of fire spread will be moderate, control will not be difficult.
High: Fires will start easily and spread rapidly. Spotting will occur. Direct attack will be difficult.
Extreme: Fire will start readily from all causes, burn intensely, spread rapidly. Control will be confined to the flanks. Direct attack will be unlikely.
Parts of a ground cover fire
Area of origin: Where the fire started.
Head: Leading edge, generally most intense flame.
Rear: Opposite of the head. Generally least intense.
Flank: Side of the fire.
Finger: An extention of the fire away from the main body, often from shifting winds or Topo change.
Bay: The space between fingers or between finger and main body.
Island: An unburned area located within the area where the fire has already burned.
Spot Fire: Small fire that starts to burn ahead of the fire, usually a result of stray embers.
Green: The area of unburned fuel around the fire.
Black: Area where the fire has already burned, eliminating most of the fuel.
What are the 4 levels of fire status?
Out of control
Being Held
Under Control
Extinguished
Two methods of attack:
Direct Attack
Indirect attack
Direct attack is:
taking action on the actual burning perimeter of the fires edge. Flanking attack uses a single crew working from an anchor point along one edge. Pincer/Parallel attack uses two crews attacking both edges of the fire.
Indirect attack is:
Constructing an anchor line or constructing firebreaks.
Examples of Safety zones:
Water sources. Marsh or boggy sites. Large rock areas. Large clearing or areas of sparce fuel. Any area where there is no fuel. The black.
What is an anchor point and what are they used for?
Advantageous locations to start or finish fighting a fire, usually are a barrior to fire spread. They are used to prevent a fire from flanking or burning below, around or behind the crew.
Equipment carried by CFD for wildland
Backpack hand pumps.
Fire Brooms.
Grass fire kit
2x30m roll 19mm forestry hose
2x14m roll 19mm forestry hose
4 brass nozzles
2x25mm gated wye
2x38mm female-25mm male adapter
Bush buggy with:
400L water
Bumber nozzles
25mm handline and nozzle
forestry tools
Pulaskis
