Contingencies, Safety, and Suppression Tactics

1. Contingencies, Safety, and Suppression Tactics

2. Objectives • Define and identify contingencies. • Identify hazards and measures to mitigate those hazards. • Discuss suppression tactics for escaped prescribed burns.

3. Contingencies • Areas outside your prescribed burn boundaries where you can “catch” an escaped fire. • Natural barriers: water bodies, rocky areas, sparse fuels • Man-made barriers: roads, powerline rights-of-way, previously burned areas

5. Contingencies • Resources, people/equipment, you can use to help you with escaped prescribed burns. • Volunteer or town fire departments • Cooperators – other agencies or organizations • May need to have written agreement • Can reciprocate when needed

6. Know your contingencies before you implement your burn!! • Have a plan as to where you think you can catch the escape. • Make sure your resources are available and close enough to be effective.

7. SAFETY Possible hazards • Standing dead or dying trees (snags) • Fire weakened trees • Lightning • Smoke • The fire itself • Animals, insects, toxic plants • Members of the public • Fatigue • Heat Stress • Sharp tools • Unexpected weather

8. SNAG

9. Base of burning snag

10. Mitigating Hazards • Personal Protective Equipment • Long sleeve shirts, long pants. Try to use cotton or wool or flame resistant clothing. • Leather gloves • Eye protection • Sturdy boots, preferably all leather • Hard hat

11. Mitigating Hazards • Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones -- LCES • Re-evaluate continuously as things change • It’s important to use all four components together

12. Lookouts Use when: - Firefighters are spread out and can’t see the main fire - Weather is getting hotter and drier - Firefighters unfamiliar with local country Use experienced firefighter who can see firefighters and hazards and communicate those hazards.

13. Communications • Make sure assignments are understood! • Word of mouth • Hand held radios • Cell phones • Flagging

14. ESCAPE ROUTES A path a firefighter takes from location exposed to danger to an area free from danger. • -Known to all firefighters • Easily identifiable

15. Safety Zones • An area free from hazards • Already burned areas • Water bodies • Rocky areas • Areas of light fuels that can be burned off

18. Suppression Tactics • If your prescribed fire escapes and becomes a wildfire, you must begin suppression actions. • Come up with a strategy to suppress the fire and tactics to accomplish the suppression • Inform all firefighters of new plan and roles • SAFETY FIRST! Use LCES

19. Methods of Attack: • Direct Attack - Constructing a fireline or using water right on the fire perimeter. Keep one foot in the black and one foot in the unburned area. • Indirect Attack - Constructing a fireline some distance from the fire perimeter. Should use a barrier (natural or constructed) in fireline construction, if available. Intervening strip is wide and fuels are burned out…..

20. Types of Fire Control Line: • Constructed Fireline • Hand Line • Machine Line • Wet Line

21. Types of Fire Control Line cont.: • Natural Control Line • Cold Fire Edge • Fuel Break • Previously Constructed Barriers 