1. Ignition Techniques (adapted from FL DOF)
Interagency Prescribed Fire Training/ Fire Ecology and Management University of Florida

2. Objectives Characterize basic fire types
Link fire types to ignition patterns
Identify safety concerns
Describe when to use what
Methods of pile/windrow burning
Develop an ignition plan (you will do this later in your Burn Plan)

3. Parts of a Fire SPOT FIRE FINGER HEAD Wind POCKET LEFT FLANK UNBURNED
ISLAND
RIGHT FLANK
REAR

5. Types of Fires Surface Fire Ground Fire Crown Fire
Burning in surface fuels
Grass, shrubs, litter
Ground Fire
Smoldering in ground fuels
duff, peat, roots, stumps
Crown Fire
Burning in aerial fuels
Crowns or canopy of the overstory
May or may not be independent of surface fire
Photo: Univ. of Toronto Fier Lab
Photo: News Provider

6. Types of Crown Fires

7. When do you need to apply your knowledge of ignition techniques
When do you need to apply your knowledge of ignition techniques? Two situations:
Prescribed Fire: “Fire applied in a knowledgeable manner to forest fuels on a specific land area under selected weather conditions to accomplish predetermined, well-defined management objectives”
“A safe way to apply a natural process, ensure ecosystem health, and reduce wildfire risk.”
Suppression burning is the use of prescribed fire in a wildland fire situation

8. 2 Types of Suppression Burning
Counter Fire
Burn-out

9. Counter Fire
Fire applied to stop the forward spread of uncontrolled fire
GENERALLY NOT USED IN I.A.
NEED AT LEAST 2 CREW MEMBERS
ONLY IN CERTAIN FUEL TYPES ( not blowy leaf!)
ONLY BY EXPERIENCED firefighters
HIGH RISK
TIME CRITICAL

10. Burn-out: when?
Often times on wildfires, control lines are established some distance from fire edge
Pockets
Inaccessible areas
Pre-existing control lines
Areas of lesser fuel concentrations

11. Learn the Basic Fire Types- Related to Wind
OBJECTIVES
Learn the Basic Fire Types- Related to Wind
Characterize basic fire types
Backing
Head
Flanking
Link fire types to ignition patterns
Identify safety concerns
Describe when to use what
Methods of pile/windrow burning
Develop an ignition plan (you will do this later in your Burn Plan)

12. What are the FACTORS TO DETERMINE FIRING TECHNIQUES?
OBJECTIVES for your burn
Fuels consumption, wildfire control
Ecological effects
WIND SPEED & DIRECTION (why both?)
SMOKE SENSITIVE AREAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY?
Special hazards?
CREW EXPERIENCE/KNOWLEDGE

13. 1. Backing Fire Used to establish baseline Generally safest
Longer residence times
Slowest R.O.S.’s (1-3 ch/hr)
ROS determined by Fuel Moisture
Excellent for heavy fuel loads
Used to burn around values
Generally not the primary technique
Why not???

14. 1. Backing Fire

15. 1. Backing Fire
BURNS INTO THE WIND

16. 1. Backing Fire- wind is important

17. 1. Backing Fire Windspeeds & fuel moistures
When backfire is the primary technique, consider:
Windspeeds & fuel moistures
Establishing additional baselines
Orienting burn blocks
WIND

18. 2. Strip-Head Fire Most frequently used technique Fastest method
Can manipulate intensity with strip width and time interval
Consider:
Width of strips
Changing weather conditions
Changing fuel conditions
Using spots where necessary
Spotting potential
Convection activity
“Closing the door” too soon

19. 2. Strip-Head Fire
STAY BEHIND DOWNWIND IGNITOR!

20. 2. Strip-Head Fire Intensity is controlled by line spacing and timing
Spread rate is sensitive to windspeed

21. 3. Flank Fire
REMAIN IN SIGHT
MAINTAIN
PACE

22. 3. Flank Fire
Can be an excellent tool, burn large areas with less effort
Uniform fire intensities
Minimal spotting
Good in diverse fuel types
Consider:
Winds (Dir. & Speed.)- must be steady!
Number & experience of igniters- must be experienced!
Communications & visibility (in unit)
Conducive burn block orientation
Using spot ignitions within the flanks
Varying the flank ignition speed to control intensity

23. 3. Flank Fire
FIRE BURNS 90°
TO WIND
FLANK FIRE
WIND
WALK INTO WIND

24. 3. Flank Fire- pace of ignition affects fire behavior

25. 4. Point Source (Spot) Fire

26. 4. Point Source (Spot) Fire
Excellent for large areas (aerial ignition)
Best technique for controlling intensities in various weather conditions
Can be used in conjunction with strip head & flank technique
Effective in heavy fuels
Burn manager can control where convection occurs
Quickest way to complete ignition

27. Point Source (Spot) Fire
When spot firing, burn managers should consider how to change fire intensity:
Width between spots
Width between strips
Changes in weather & fuels
Location of spots
Spotting potential
Difficulty in maintaining grid
Grid orientation to wind
Fast burn, high convection (why?)

28. Point Source (Spot) Fire, initiation

29. Point Source (Spot) Fire- growth

30. 5. Ring Fire

31. 5. Ring Fire Access Objectives (overstory, smoke plume, speed)
Traditionally used for site-prep
Minimizes short range spotting
Quick & easy
Early “point-of-no-return”
Traps wildlife, high intensity
High convective heat transfer
When using ring ignition, consider:
Access
Objectives (overstory, smoke plume, speed)
Where to start
Crew experience
Begin with center point ignition

32. 5. Ring Fire

33. How it’s really done:
USE A VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES OVER A RANGE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR MOSAIC BURN PATTERNS

34. SECUREING A BASE LINE…

35. LINE WIDTH?

36. >2X FLAME LENGTH

37. DO NOT “CLOSE THE DOOR”!
CAN CAUSE FIRE WHIRLS (VORTICES)

38. USE CAUTION WALKING DOWNWIND!

39. USE CAUTION IN HEAVY FUELS

40. USE CAUTION ON SLOPES

41. USE CAUTION WHEN FIRES CONVERGE

42. ALWAYS WATCH WHAT YOUR FIRE IS DOING

43. FIRE GENERATED WINDS

44. KNOW LOCATIONS OF
PERSONNEL & EQUIPMENT

45. Ignition steps
Evaluate conditions, resources, and objectives to determine desired fire behavior.
Test burn and evaluation
Black line
Ignition techniques
Contingency plans

46. L.C.E.S. SAFETY should always be on your mind
LOOKOUTS COMMUNICATIONS ESCAPE ROUTES SAFETY ZONES