1 / 131

IGNITION OPERATIONS

IGNITION OPERATIONS. Welcome. Introductions Facilities Logistics. Course Learning Objective. Working knowledge of: Duties and responsibilities Ignition devices Fire behaviour review Ignition techniques and sequences Ignition operations safety

rnichole
Download Presentation

IGNITION OPERATIONS

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. IGNITION OPERATIONS

  2. Welcome • Introductions • Facilities • Logistics

  3. Course Learning Objective Working knowledge of: • Duties and responsibilities • Ignition devices • Fire behaviour review • Ignition techniques and sequences • Ignition operations safety To operate as part of the ignition team in an effective and safe manner

  4. Recognition of Training Recognized by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests as the minimum recommended training standard for fire fighters involved in wildland fire ignition operations.

  5. Evaluation • Written exam 70% • Ignition Operations Exercise 30%

  6. Ignition is a tool for: • Prescribed Fire • Ecological Objectives • Prevention Objectives • Wildfire Suppression • Burnout • Backfire

  7. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES • The relationship of the crew leader and the ignition specialist within the fire organization • The Ignition Plan • The topics to be discussed in an ignition crew briefing • The personnel resources required to execute the ignition plan

  8. Organizational Structure

  9. General Duties and Responsibilities • Incident Commander/Prescribed Fire Burn Boss • Ignition Specialist • Holding Operations (Group Supervisor, Task Force Leader or Crew Leader) • Ignition Crew Leader/Members • Holding Crew Leader/Crew • Fuel Handlers • Mixing Crew Leader/Members • Lookouts • Technical Specialist

  10. Incident Commander • Responsible to the fire centre • Oversees all fire operations activities on wildfire operations

  11. Prescribed Fire Burn Boss • Incident Commander • Oversees all fire operations activities on prescribed fire operations • Responsible to land agency (crown, private, licensee) • Ensures all burn plan requirements are met • Ensures all burn prescriptions are met • Declares prescribed burn as a wildfire if burn exceeds prescription • Directs suppression activities until relieved by appropriate wildfire suppression resources

  12. Ignition Specialist • Supervise the ignition operation • Development of ignition techniques- assist in prescription • Directs and instructs personnel in ignition sequence and technique • Advises supervisors of progress, problems and safety of assigned resources, and recommended alternative ignition sequence, if required • Coordinates with holding resources regarding ignition/holding operations • Responsible for firing equipment being inspected, in place, operational, refurbished and returned.

  13. Ignition Crew Leader/Members • Uses primary ignition devices • Ignition of fuels according to instructions • Monitor and adjust ignition technique or pattern Crew leader- training and experience in ignition • Crew member- qualified firefighter with ignition training and wildland fire suppression experience • Number of crews determined through the planning process

  14. Ignition Plan • Plan in both prescribed and wildfire operations • Explanation of the personnel • Ignition tactics and devices • All ignition operations must have an ignition plan. • Either verbal (low complexity) or written (higher complexity).

  15. Ignition Crew Briefing • The Chain of Command • Lookouts, Communications, EscapeRoutesandSafety Zones • Known fireline hazards. • Safe work procedures • Current and expected fire behaviour and weather • Current fire activities and progress • Ignition strategies, sequence • Tasks the crew will be accomplishing • Individual work assignments • Prescribed burn plan or incident action plan • Problems or concerns

  16. IMPORTANT! • A crew briefing isn’t a one-way process. After the briefing, ask questions on any points that weren’t covered and make suggestions where needed. • If you aren’t sure about a situation, SPEAK OUT. • The most important consideration when attacking a wildland fire is a“safety first”attitude….. • IF IN DOUBT – BACK OUT!

  17. IGNITION DEVICES • The characteristics and operation of various devices • Which appropriate device would be appropriate for given fuel types and conditions • Maintenance problems related to various ignition devices • The proper procedures for transportation, handling and storage of various ignition devices

  18. Ignition Devices • Fusees • Hand-Held Drip Torch • Matches/Lighters • Terra-Torch • Helitorch • Plastic Sphere Dispenser (AIDS)

  19. FUSEES • Lightweight/portable • Burns 5-10 mins • Can be extinguished and re-ignited • Dry, light continuous fuel • Phosporous/noxious smoke

  20. FUSEES • Full PPE • Remove striker/ ignite away from body • Extinguish by sticking in mineral soil • Problems if wet or previously exposed to moisture • Deterioration from improper storage • Transportation restrictions!!!!

  21. DRIP TORCH • Fuel oil, diesel or other flammable- combustible liquid • Can last up to one hour • Works well on almost all fuel types • Most common tool • Full PPE • Mix fuel, label with fuel type, ratio and date

  22. DRIP TORCH • Do not open or fill near hot embers, sparks or while smoking • Mixing and fuelling personnel should wear an organic vapour respirator • Fuel ratio varies • Increased amount of gas decreases flash point • Increased amount of diesel increases flash point

  23. DRIP TORCH • Maintenance Problems: • Wick (wet, burned up, missing, bent, broken, damaged) • Gaskets (missing, deteriorated, wrong size) • Check Valve not seating- no fuel flow • Air valve cross- threaded or improperly positioned • Dirty or improperly mixed fuel • Plugged fuel line • Smashed nozzle

  24. MATCHES & LIGHTERS • Light, portable, easily carried • Works best in light/continuous fuels on very small operations

  25. Terra Torch • Produces hot, high volume flame (100 feet) • Dangerous to personnel within 200 feet • Mixture of jet fuel (gasoline) and jellying agent • Jelly-like substance • Very flammable • Hazardous fumes • Starts fires where other devices are ineffective-may produce more than desired

  26. Terra Torch • Extremely effective when firing along roads and dozer control lines • Mounted on trucks trailers or ATV • Requires occasional skilled maintenance • Uses batteries- charging issues? • Full PPE- Special PPE for Mixing Crew

  27. PROPANE TORCH • Produces extremely hot flame, but has little lasting effect on moist fuels • Hand- held device (back pack) or vehicle mount • Full PPE

  28. HELITORCH • Produces large amounts of fire in a short period of time • Starts fires where other devices are ineffective • May produce more fire than desired • Mixture of jet fuel (Gasoline) and jellying agent • Very flammable material

  29. HELITORCH • Capable of burning standing canopy fuel types with little or no ground fuels • Ignites fuels with higher fuel moistures • Expands prescription window • Will not burn wet fuels • Prone to frequent equipment failures • Arrange for back-up torch or plan • Have lots of spares on hand

  30. HELITORCH • Specialized mixing operations (equipment, personnel) • Personnel require specialized PPE including organic vapour respirators • Requires a larger organization • Requires a separate helibase and frequencies • Hang fires may be an issue • Limited to daylight hours • External Load

  31. Premo Mark III Plastic Sphere Dispenser • Aerial Ignition Device System (AIDS) • “ping pong ball machine” (DAIDS, CIDS) • Polystyrene spheres partially filled with potassium permanganate crystals • Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) • 24 volt power source • Internally mounted sphere dispensing system

  32. Aerial Ignition Device System(AIDS) • Eliminates • Handling or mixing of raw materials • External loads • Reduces hazards to people on the ground by • Increasing accuracy in deployment • Decreasing possibility of hang fires

  33. Aerial Ignition Device System(AIDS) • Lower operating costs (approx 1/3 of helitorch) • Most effective in dry,light and open canopy fuel types or aquatic areas, marshes and swamps • Produces relatively low intensity fire from each ignition source (dot fire) • Allows better control of flame production

  34. Aerial Ignition Device System(AIDS) • Requires time for fire to hit equilibrium • Can burn large areas without additional support • Limited availability • Limited to daylight hours • Exothermic reaction (heat producing) requiring 20 to 30 seconds to occur

  35. FIRE BEHAVIOUR REVIEW • Basic structure of forests and fuels • Three elements of the fire triangle • Three key factors that influence fire behaviour • 30/30 cross concept • Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System • Fire Types • Fire Intensity Ranking System

  36. Forest Layers

  37. Forest Fuels

  38. The Fire Triangle • Fuel- forest vegetation • Oxygen- in the air • Heat- lightning, people = FIRE!

  39. Collapsing the Fire Triangle Remove Heat Remove Oxygen Remove Fuel

  40. Heat Transfer Process • Radiation: through the air from warm surfaces to cooler surroundings (the heat you feel when you are sitting next to a campfire) • Convection: movement of a hot air mass; usually upwards (burning objects below heat objects above) • Conduction: through solid matter (objects touching each other).

  41. Factors Influencing Fire Behaviour

  42. Fuel Moisture • Most important fuel factor • Fuel moisture is determined by : • Weather related factors affecting the amount of moisture in the fuel. • Percentage of live or dead (cured) fuel.

  43. logs, stumps, large branch wood, trees and deep duff. longer to ignite fires spread slowly greater intensity. low surface area to volume ratio. grass, dead leaves, tree needles, brush and small trees. ignite quickly, fast spreading fires act as kindling to light heavier fuels. high surface area to volume ratio. Surface Area = 6 m² Surface Area = 18 m² Fuel Size Heavy, slow-burning fuels Light, fast-burning fuels

  44. Fuel Spacing • Horizontal Fuel Spacing • “continuous” or “patchy”. • Affects ability of horizontal fire spread • Vertical Fuel Spacing • distance between surface fuels and aerial fuels. • ladder fuels.

  45. Fuel Loading • the weight or mass of fuels in a given area • usually measured in tonnes per hectare • may vary across the landscape • Higher density fuel loads will burn at higher intensities if fuel moisture conditions make all the fuel available for combustion

  46. Wind • Single most important weather factor • Increases or decreases fuel moistures • Bends flames ahead heating, drying and igniting new fuels • Carries sparks and embers into new fuel sources (spotting) • Feeds fire with Oxygen • Drives the direction of the fire

  47. Precipitation • Less precipitation required to raise fine fuels fuel moisture than in heavy fuels • Fine fuels dry faster than heavy fuels • Precipitation may not wet ground fuels if they are positioned under a dense canopy • Duration of precipitation, not quantity, is the most important factor

  48. Relative Humidity (RH) • Influences fire behaviour by affecting fuel moisture. • Percentage of water vapour present in the air. • When the air is dry (low Relative Humidity), fuels are likely to dry out. • When the air is damp (high Relative Humidity), fuels are likely to absorb moisture (fuel moisture increases) • Increases overnight and decreases during the day. (recovery)

  49. Temperature • Temperature fluctuations affect relative humidity, affecting fuel moisture content. • Influences the amount of preheating required to bring fuel to it’s ignition temperature.

  50. 30/30 Cross (Black Cross) • Watch for extreme fire behaviour! • Condition where the RH drops below 30% and temperature rises about 30ºC. • Useful rule of thumb to potentially expect extreme fire behaviour – precautions must be taken accordingly.

More Related