WILDLAND ENGINE OPERATIONS PART 3 - Exercises WARDEN AND DEPUTY FOREST FIRE WARDEN TRAINING 2008

Group Exercises

Wildland Engine Operations Exercise #1 Scenario #1 Fuel Group: Hardwood Timber Litter Date: September 24, 1600 hours Weather: Winds are light and variable 5-7 mph. RH is 28% Fire Behavior: Flame lengths are 5 ft. at the head of the fire. Topography: Rolling terrain, negotiable by type 5 engines. Resources: 2 type 5 engines including yours. Scenario: You are working an isolated finger of a large fire in tandem with another type 5 engine. The engine that you have been working with is currently refilling their tank and is not on scene. Your engine experiences a major mechanical malfunction and is out of service. Given the situation: 1. What contingencies did you have, or should you have had in place prior to initiating suppression activities? 2. What action do you take as Engine Boss?

Exercise # 1 Scenario #1 Solution What contingencies did you have in place prior to initiating fire suppression activities? Established communication with necessary personnel. Establish emergency procedures. LCES have been established.

Exercise # 1 Scenario #1 Solution Continued. What do you do? Sizeup the situation. Ensure communications are established. Alert other fireline personnel. Ensure safety zones are established and known to all. Determine mechanical problem and rectify if possible.

Wildland Engine Operations Exercise #2 Scenario #1 Fuel Group: Grass Date:April 24, 1400 hours Weather: Winds are out of the southeast 5-10 mph. RH is 18% Fire Behavior: Flame lengths are approximately 5 ft. at the head of the fire. The fire is moving in a northwest direction. Topography: Relatively flat terrain. Resources: 2 type 7 engines including yours. Scenario: The fire is active at the head and is running to the northwest. All available weather indicators appear that they will remain constant. The fire is approximately acres. Using the available information and any other resources available, how will you coordinate with the other engine boss to best deploy your resources? Illustrate on the map and determine the tactics you will use. Given the situation: 1. What is the best method of attack? 2. Where should you deploy your resources? 3. What advantages, disadvantages, safety concerns, and special considerations are associated with your decision?

Pincer Attack

Wildland Engine Operations Exercise #2 Scenario #2 Fuel Group: Grass with pockets of brush Date:May 1, 1200 hours Weather: Winds are variable out of the southwest with mph gusts. RH is 21% Fire Behavior: Flame lengths are approximately 6-8 ft. on an uneven edge caused by pockets of brush. Flame lengths at the heads of the fire are ft. pushed by the predominant winds. Topography: Rolling terrain, negotiable by type 6-7 engines. Resources: 3 type 6 engines. Scenario: The fire is currently acres. With the information given how would you coordinate with other deployed resources to best attack and suppress the fire? Illustrate on the map and determine the tactics you will use. Given the situation: 1. What is the best method of attack? 2. Where should you deploy your resources? 3. What advantages, disadvantages, safety concerns, and special considerations are associated with your decision?

Tandem Parallel Attack

Wildland Engine Operations Exercise #2 Scenario #3 Fuel Group: Grass and shrub Date: May 12, 1100 hours Weather: Winds are light and variable out of the south/southwest 5-10 mph. RH is 18% Fire Behavior: Flame lengths are approximately 4 ft. on the flanks and 6 ft. at the head of the fire. The fire is active at the head of the fire and on the flanks. The fire is moving actively through the grasses but not running at an extreme rate. Topography: Mildly rolling terrain. Resources: You arrive on the scene with your type 5 engine and crew. Also arriving at the same time are four other engines with crews. They consist of two type 4 engines and two 2 type 6 engines. Scenario: The fire is currently approximately acres. The mild and rolling terrain is accessible by all types of wildland engines. The multiple spread on the flanks and head of the fire is causing immediate threats to the three closest structures, two single family residences and a barn. Using the available information and the other resources available at the scene, how will you coordinate with the other engine crews to best deploy your resources? Illustrate on the map and determine the tactics you will use. Given the situation: 1. What is the best method of attack? 2. Where should you deploy your resources? 3. What advantages, disadvantages, safety concerns, and special considerations are associated with your decision?

Envelopment Inside-Out Attack

Wildland Engine Operations Exercise #2 Scenario #4 Fuel Group: Grasses and pockets of timber litter Date: May 5, 1500 hours Weather: Winds are erratic out of the southwest10-15 mph with gusts to 30. RH is 17% Fire Behavior: Flame lengths are approximately 5 ft. on the flanks and 8-10 ft. at the head of the fire. The fire is active at the head of the fire and on the flanks. The fire is moving actively (running) through the grasses and timber litter with minor spotting caused by the erratic winds. Topography: Terrain is steep on the west and northwest sides and rolling grass and brush on the south and southeast sides. Resources: You arrive on the scene with your type 4 engine and crew. Also present on scene are two additional type 4 engines with crews. Scenario: The fire is currently approximately acres. The fire is accessible by engines on the south flank. The west and northwest flanks are burning into steep terrain dominated by timber that will limit access where the terrain becomes steeper. Using the available information and the other resources available at the scene, how will you coordinate with the other engine crews to best deploy your resources? Illustrate on the map and determine the tactics you will use. Given the situation: 1. What is the best method of attack? 2. Where should you deploy your resources? 3. What advantages, disadvantages, safety concerns, and special considerations are associated with your decision?

Combination Attack Stationary and Tandem Parallel Attack

WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE

Structure Defense and Safety With the increased firefighting activities in the urban interface, wildland firefighter must become aware of a new fire environment. Fire fighters tend to place themselves at greater risk when battling wildland fires in an effort to save homes. REMEMBER…Safety of life is most important and must be adhered to by the use of the “fire Orders”, “Watch Out Situations”, and the use of “LCES”.

Safety While Protecting Structures From Wildland Fire “ Structures exposed to wildland fires in the urban interface can and should be considered as another fuel type. Sizeup and tactics should be based upon fuels, weather and topography, just as those criteria would be applied to a wildland fire”. (Fireline Handbook Chapter4- Firefighter Safety)

Wildland/Urban Interface Considerations Engine crews are commonly utilized to protect structures during wildfires. Crew that are not familiar with operations in the wildland/urban interface should not be assigned structural protection duties.

Triage ? The process of evaluating and setting priorities for structures requiring protection from approaching wildfires. What are factors that affect triage decisions?

Five Triage Factors Firefighter Safety Type and Structural Condition Surrounding Fuels Fire Behavior Available Resources Reference: IRPG page 14-17

Triage Categories 1. Needing “LITTLE OR NO” protection for now. 2. Needing “PROTECTION” but “SAVEABLE”. 3. “INDEFENSIBLE”

Always Remember... Back your engine in. Keep one line for engine protection. Keep 100 gallons in reserve. Continually re-assess L.C.E.S. Adhere to electrical power line safety recommendations. Wear appropriate PPE for the assignment. Don’t exceed your training!

When It Is Time To Withdraw! Your safety is in jeopardy. The fire is making significant runs. Spot fires are igniting. Your water supply will not allow you to continue. The roof is more then ¼ involved, in windy conditions. Interior rooms are involved and windows are broken, in windy conditions.

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Wooden construction, Shake roofs Reference: IRPG Page 11, FLHB Page 136

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Poor access, Narrow one- way roads

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Inadequate water supply

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Natural fuels 30 feet or closer to the structures

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Extreme fire behavior

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Strong winds, 25 mph plus.

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Evacuation of public (panic)

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Structures located in chimneys, box or narrow canyons, on slopes of 30% or more, and in continuous, flashy fuel types.

Structural Situations that Shout “WATCH OUT”… Bridge load limits

Group Exercise Scenario Two houses are adjacent, 50 feet apart. House #1 has wooden walls, a wood-shake roof, and is surrounded on three sides by brush. House # 2 has better clearance, grass around the house, and a composition shingle roof. 50’ House #1 House #2

Case 1: The fire is burning only the leaf litter, moving progres- sively past the two houses. You have a full 500 gallon tank of water and are the only engine available. What would you do? House #1 House #2 500 gal.

Group Exercise Scenario Case 1 Solution: Control the fire at the first house it reaches and lead it past the second. Save both houses.

Case 2: The fire is burning the brush, hitting broad-side and threatening both houses at the same time. You have 250 gallons of water left and are the only engine available. House #1 will receive direct flame impingement; house #2 will receive only firebrands. What would you do? House #1 House #2 250 gal.

Group Exercise Scenario Case 2 Solution : Forget house #1, it cannot be saved. Use your limited water to defend house #2. At least you will save one house. With only 50 feet between you must consider the exposure problems created by a fully burning structure (house #1). Now you are not only defending house #2 from a wildfire, but from a fully involved structure next door.

Case 3: As in Case 2, the fire is burning the brush and threatening both houses at the same time. This time you have a full tank of water, 500 gallons. You can protect house #1 as the fire hits it and in the process will significantly diminish the intensity at the head of the fire. A second engine will be there in 5 minutes. What would you do? House #1 House #2 500 gal. 5 min. away

Group Exercise Scenario Case 3 Solution: Take house #1 and do everything you can to save it. You might be able to simultaneously deploy a hose line to the second house and to have a firefighter spend at least some time on spot fires. House #2 will last until the other engine arrives. The second engine can handle house #2 and perhaps even give you a little help too. Save both houses.

Decision-making Exercise You are sent into an area with four houses. Burning conditions are so severe that you can expect the standing live fuels to burn readily. You have a full tank of water, but no other resources will be available until well after the fire is past.

# 1 # 2# 3 # 4 The most threatened house (#1) is in heavy fuels. It would require all your water to save, and the other houses would be involved by the time you could be free again. 500 gal.

# 1 # 2# 3 # 4 The second-worst house (#2) is located in moderately heavy fuels; it would require half your water and 10 to 20 minutes to save it. 500 gal.

# 1 # 2# 3 # 4 Houses 3 and 4 are threatened only by firebrands on the roof. What would you do? 500 gal.

Decision Making Exercise Solution: First, consider taking on the most threatened house. You will save it, but with no time or water left you will lose the other three. Next, consider taking on the second house. You will save it, and there is a good chance you will have time and water to deal with spot fires on the last two houses. You could save three. Finally, consider taking on the easiest two houses. You can save them easily, but you will lose the other two. The second alternative will buy you the most; three houses saved.

THANK YOU! REMEMBER SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY!