Multiple Aerial Ignitions

Southern Region Helicopter Statistics 2004  Hours Flown – 1,916.4  Acres Treated – 694,177  Spheres Dropped – 1,977,341  Passengers Flown – 2,689  Cargo Hauled – 204,964 pounds  Person Days – 2,343  Water Dropped – 458,499 gallons  Total Cost - $2,973,049.00

Advantages of Aerial Ignition

Smoke Management  Completion of the burn earlier in the day, allows more time for smoke dissipation, takes advantage of better mixing heights and transport winds.  Usually makes for better fuel consumption, eliminating smoldering and leaving few unburned pockets.  An established convection column puts more smoke higher in to the mixing layer, dissipating smoke better.

Costs  Ability to burn more acres in shorter time frames.  May save preparation time, less interior lines to establish, less access needed for ground lighters.  May allow burning on consecutive days, due to completion of burn the first day, making resources available.  May lessen need for mop-up and patrol due to better fuel consumption and less unburned areas.

Qualifications PLDO – Project Helicopter Crewperson: S-271 (Helicopter Crewperson). - Interagency PLDO training and a minimum of one successful assignment to include a minimum of 1 hour in-flight machine operation and completion of task checklist. Note: During the PSD OJT flight a qualified PLDO will be onboard the aircraft until the PLDO(T) completes their required OJT and is considered fully qualified. -Currency: Annual re-certification training and performance in the position once within the last 3 years. Other positions that will maintain currency: None.

Qualifications – cont.  Instructor Qualifications  A.Qualified and current as a Helitorch Manager (HTMG) or Plastic Sphere Dispenser Operator (PLDO) and Helicopter Manager w/ multiple trainee instructor assignments  B.Approval from Regional Helicopter Operations Specialist or State/Regional Aviation Manager.  C. Re-certifications can be done by a journeyman level (experienced) PLDO

 Interagency PSD Operator Annual Re-certification Training - Suggested Time:2 hours. Training Aids: Premo Mark III- plastic sphere dispenser, Current Interagency Aerial Ignition Guide (IAIG).  ObjectivesEach PSD Operator shall review the applicable sections of the Interagency Aerial Ignition Guide as well as agency-specific guidance and direction. Complete items 1-6 in chapters II and IV.A and the PLDO will have fulfilled the annual refresher requirement. Document the session and get on with it.

Ignition Strategies

Practice patience….the hardest thing to do  Wait for ignition; it may take minutes to see how your burn is doing after lighting the initial few lines (that seems like forever when hovering in a helicopter).  Consider lighting in “blocks” to provide a good cut- off spot if needed.

Take advantage of speed  Huge difference in morning ignitions vs. afternoon ignitions, could regulate what you burn first, heavy fuels or light, dry areas or wet, hot burn or cool, etc. (what’s your objective?)

Ignition spacing = desired results  junction zones (those places where fires meet)  line fire vs spot fire  mass ignition vs controlled ignition  convection burning….using the column to your advantage

line fire vs spot fire

mass ignition vs controlled ignition

convection burning….using the column to your advantage

IAIG spacing guide What speed and spacing do you use? Motor Shaft Sprocket - 13 Teeth Ground speed in MPH Camshaft speed of 27 RPM (slow) Approximate feet between ignition points USING 1 PSD Chute 2 PSD Chutes 4 PSD Chutes Camshaft speed of 41 RPM (fast) USING 1 PSD Chute 2 PSD Chutes 4 PSD Chutes

Aerial Ignition Safety

Aviation Safety Issues Smoke Airspace Communications Flight Patterns Hazard Identification Public / Firefighter

PSD Aerial Ignition Operations  Highest percentage of helicopter use in South  Largest amount of low level flight w/pax  Limited pilot reaction time (low and slow)  Generally single A/C ops, flat/rolling lands, few visual references  Most burns 500+ acres and road less  Risk of a post crash fire  Golden hour is more like 15 minutes  Based on these facts …Would you consider this high risk?

What if the Helicopter crashes?  What do YOU do?  Who does WHAT?  Who takes CHARGE?  What is the first PRIORITY?  DO YOU HAVE A PLAN?  Of course you do

The Plan  Discuss the what if’s in the pre-burn briefing  Radio traffic cleared – emergency ops only  Assign primary roles (dozer, ATV,engine)  Initiate site location (ask ground troops)  Initiate notifications (dispatch/EMS)  Establish access  Where is crash/rescue kit?  Search aircraft available?  Established emergency landing areas?

More planning ideas  Flight following procedures  Burn area layout/grid coordinates  Picture of helicopter in dispatch  Burn crews know about post crash safety and fuel/power shutoffs  Is the Burn boss the IC, are they on board?  Are you on board? Who is the Av expert?  Portable radio on board?  Pilot been trained in shelter use?  Dispatch will implement the rescue plan

Results  Hard for some to deal with at first  The more you discuss, the easier it gets  Stimulates thought  Prepares everyone to react – ahead of time  Reduces confusion  Plan gets better over time  Because you had all of the bases covered and something happens, it makes things easier in a tough situation (the investigation)

PSD Operator Safety Harness Operator wearing a full body harness

Multiple unit ignitions (consider IMT)

Timing is everything  Simultaneous burns….burning both/several areas at the same time or using the helicopter for a part of one area.  Burn one area, then the other.  Using two helos for two separate areas.  Smoke mgt…..shading out the other unit, column collapse or influence.

Operations  Distance between areas, affect logistics and operations.  Consider IMT type organization; or something similar for ease of management, communications, and clearly defined responsibilities.  Simultaneous area ignitions; (allows for no sharing of resources except the helicopter and perhaps BB) needs two separate stand alone organizations.  Burn one area, then the next; (allowing for some ground ignition while aerial lighting) could move some resources to another site once first burn is safe.

Logistics:  Communications, radio frequencies (same freq or different)  Fueling sites, airports (how long to fuel?)  Helispots (how many, where?)  Plan for the worst (second machine, helo)  Ping pong balls, antifreeze (have enough)

Required checklists: PSD Project Aviation Safety Plan Job Hazard Analysis Risk Analysis Aerial Ignition Preplanning Checklist PSD Organization Chart – PSD Prescribed Fire PSD Prescribed Fire Communications Plan Helicopter Crash Rescue/Medivac Plan PSD Air Operations/Safety GO/NO GO Checklist

BRIEFINGS Helibase Preflight Briefing – Organization and Personnel – Communications – Landing Areas – Safety – Hazards and PPE – Aircraft Safety Briefing – Emergency Procedures Helibase Preflight Briefing –Organization and Personnel –Communications –Landing Areas –Safety –Hazards and PPE –Aircraft Safety Briefing –Emergency Procedures

Debriefing (AAR) Post Flight and Post Incident/Project Success and Failures Next Operational Events Documentation

Aircraft & Pilot Approved

Contract Pilot PSD Certification  Basically the same training as a PSD refresher.  The Pilots will likely never operate the machine, but they need to know the operational and safety aspects of the mission. Usually takes 2-3 hours. Send notification to the Regional Helicopter Inspector Pilot

QUESTIONS  How many multiple aerial ignition burns have you done?  What were your pitfalls or lessons learned?