1. FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program
Community Champion Workshop
Module 1
Workshop Introduction
WUI Issues
FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program
Community Champion Workshop
Module 1
Workshop Introduction
WUI Issues

2. Workshop Purpose and Objectives
Provide Community Champions – neighbourhood leaders – with the information and tools required to gather and motivate your neighbours to work with local fire agency
staff to make your neighbourhood less vulnerable to wildfire. A B
Workshop Purpose and Objectives
Read the purpose statement.
Provide Community Champions – neighbourhood leaders – with the information and tools required to gather and motivate your neighbours to work with local fire agency staff to make your neighbourhood less vulnerable to wildfire.
-“Could the residents of Edgepark circle or the 200 Block of Forest Avenue have taken some small but collective actions to prevent the loss of homes in their neighbourhood?
-The answer is “YES”, and as CC’s, YOU will be able to be the catalyst for reducing wildfire risk in many such communities BEFORE wildfire strikes.
Edgepark Circle
B Block - Forest Avenue
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3. Workshop Organization Modules
1. Introduction – WUI Issues 2. WUI Hazard Assessments + FireSmart Solutions 3. Overview of the FCCRP 4. Implementing Solutions – Applying for Recognition 5. Workshop Review and Wrap-up
Workshop Organization Modules
-The 5 main workshop sections are described above.
-Please take a moment to read this slide.
1: Introduction – WUI Issues
2: WUI Hazard Assessments + FireSmart Solutions
3: Overview of the FCCRP
4: Implementing Solutions – Applying for Recognition
5: Workshop Review and Wrap-up
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4. Learning Objectives Module 1
Explain the major issues contributing to WUI fire losses in Canada.
Explain some of the key realities
and myths about wildfire in the WUI
Describe the WUI disaster cycle and lessons learned from wildfire disasters.
Understand the mechanisms of structural ignitions.
Learning Objectives - Module 1
Explain the major issues contributing to WUI fire losses in Canada.
Explain some of the key realities and myths about wildfire in the WUI
Describe the WUI disaster cycle and lessons learned from wildfire disasters.
Understand the mechanisms of structural ignitions.
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5. Our Neighbourhoods are at Risk from Wildfire
Wildfire is a threat to our community and its neighbourhoods.
This threat cannot be solved by firefighters or more equipment.
Solving the problem depends on what happens BEFORE the fire, in our own BACKYARDS!
This community/neighbourhood is at risk from wildfire. Many of the homes and structures are vulnerable to ignition. A wildfire here could ignite many homes directly, or indirectly cause fire to spread from one home another in a chain reaction of events. The wildfire threat is to our community and its neighbourhoods.
This is a problem that cannot be solved by sending more firefighters, more equipment, or bigger airplanes to attack a wildfire.
The key message is that solving the wildfire threat to our community depends very much on what happens BEFORE the fire, in our own BACKYARDS!
Talk more about this later.
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6. The Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI)….
What is the WUI?
Structures in locations where conditions result in the potential for their ignition from flames and firebrands of a wildland fire.
There are two key concepts.
First, the term “Wildland/Urban Interface”: Especially in Canada, many homes and businesses are located in places where they are intermingled or on the edge of natural vegetation.
This vegetation may be composed of dense forest but it could also be brush, grasslands or a mixture of these.
Together, this vegetation together with homes and surroundings create conditions that create the potential for buildings to ignite – either from the flames of a wildfire OR the embers generated by a distant wildfire.
That answers the “WHAT is it” question… but WHERE is the wildland/urban interface?
As shown, it could be almost anywhere. Although the risk is two-fold on the edge of a community or neighbourhood; the fact that embers fall (or are driven by the wind) for kilometres ahead of the fire make homes in the center of many communities almost as vulnerable.
WUI
Where is the WUI?
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7. What is a WUI Fire? Where the fuel being consumed by a wildfire…
…changes from wildland fuel to urban fuel…
SO, WHAT is a WUI Fire?
A WUI fire is where the fuel being consumed by a wildfire changes from wildland to urban fuel. It does not matter to a fire, it’s all fuel! But it does matter to us!
WUI fire occurs when wildland fire embers or flames contact the ignitable parts of a structure.
Note that the trees surrounding this home are not burning, but the home is. How could that be – in the midst of an intense forest fire?
Structural ignition occurs when wildfire embers or flames kindle vulnerable parts of a structure.
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8. What is the Problem?
Climate Change increased area burned / fire intensity
Increasing Development in WUI Areas
Response Frequently Overwhelmed
Lack of FireSmart mitigations
What Are the Major Issues?
1. Forest health issues – rising fuel loads.
2. Climate Change – increased area burned / fire intensity.
3. Increasing Development in WUI Areas -lack of FireSmart mitigations
WUI Fire Disasters
Multiple structure losses
Evacuations
WUI Disaster Evacuation Lo$$es
Forest health issues
-rising fuel loads
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9. The Wildfire Disaster Cycle
How do wildland/urban fire losses occur?
Slave Lake, AB May 21, 2011
The Wildfire Disaster Cycle
How do wildland urban fire losses occur?
Slave Lake, AB May 21, 2011
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10. Urban Fire Severe Fire Wildland Fire Conditions Reduced Fire
Fuel, Weather,
and Topography
Wildland Fire
Rapid fire spread
and/or
High intensity
Urban Fire
Multiple,
simultaneous
ignitions
Overwhelmed
Fire
Suppression
Too much fire and
too few resources
Reduced Fire
Protection
Lack of resources
leads to
reduced
effectiveness
DISASTER!
Many homes
totally
destroyed
The Wildfire Disaster Cycle
Here’s an interesting series of events that apparently leads to a WUI disaster
This is what we call a paradigm for WUI disaster – the way it usually occurs - Let’s see if it makes sense…
So Box 1 and 2 – we get a fire – inevitable, natural – common – if it gets big and threatens structures we can assume conditions were severe – hot, dry and windy.
Box 3 multiple structure ignitions – in the business of structure protection we often say - If homes don’t ignite… homes don’t burn… Anyway – they’re burning now and…
Box 4 and 5 – Fire Dept is overwhelmed and unable to respond effectively…
DISASTER – but where did it become a disaster rather than just a wildfire burning near a community of homes. What have we learned from this often repeated WUI fire disaster cycle – Let’s take a look at some lessons learned.
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GRAPHIC MODIFIED WITH PERMISSION, NFPA WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS DIVISION

11. Lessons learned*?
During severe WUI fires hundreds of structures an hour may be ignited.
What have we learned?
-During severe WUI fires hundreds of structures an hour may be ignited. (eg. Fernie BC town of 5,000 ignition time 90 minutes.)
*Lessons Learned courtesy
Structure Survival Research
courtesy Jack Cohen - USFS
Kelowna BC, 2003
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12. …and more fire trucks are NOT the answer.
Lessons Learned?
No fire suppression system in the world can stop losses from large conflagrations….
…and more fire trucks are NOT the answer.
What have we learned?
-No fire suppression system in the world can stop losses from large conflagrations. And more fire trucks are NOT the answer.
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13. Lessons learned? -Total destruction is the rule…
Rare for partial home losses to occur…
What have we learned?
-Total destruction is the rule; rare for partial home losses to occur.
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14. (*Research from multiple fires in USA/Australia).
Lessons learned?
-85 to 90% of homes without flammable roofs and 10 metres of clearance will survive a major wildfire*.
What have we learned?
-85 to 90% of homes without flammable roofs and 10 metres of clearance will survive a major wildfire (research from multiple well documented fires in USA/Australia).
(*Research from multiple fires in USA/Australia).
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15. -More than 50% of homes destroyed by wildfires are ignited by embers.
Lessons learned?
-More than 50% of homes destroyed by wildfires are ignited by embers.
What have we learned?
-More than 50% of homes destroyed by wildfires are ignited by embers.
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16. Lessons learned?
Home ignitions not always due to adjacent high intensity wildland fire.
e.g. the fire did not necessarily spread through vegetation to ignite homes.
Lessons learned?
Home ignitions not always due to adjacent high intensity wildland fire.
e.g. the did not necessarily spread through vegetation to ignite homes.
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17. Lessons learned? “Miracle House” Text Ref: Laguna Beach, CA, 1993
Home ignitions not always due to adjacent high intensity wildland fire.
e.g. the did not necessarily spread through vegetation to ignite homes.
With this in mind the following pictures are instructive:
Miracle house – note the miracle plants…
Note the lack of clean burned vegetation adjacent completely burned structures in many of the pictures.
Laguna Beach, CA, 1993
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18. Lessons learned? “Miracle Trees” Text Ref: Laguna Beach, CA, 1993
Home ignitions not always due to adjacent high intensity wildland fire.
e.g. the did not necessarily spread through vegetation to ignite homes.
With this in mind the following pictures are instructive:
Miracle house – note the miracle plants…
Note the lack of clean burned vegetation adjacent completely burned structures in many of the pictures.
Laguna Beach, CA, 1993
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19. Time to Refocus our Efforts
-Focus on…
reducing losses BEFORE the fire starts.
-Reduce fire intensity as influenced by the surrounding vegetation.
-Reducing ignitability of the structure.
Time to Refocus our Efforts
-Focus on… reducing losses BEFORE the fire starts.
-Reduce fire intensity as influenced by the surrounding vegetation.
-Reducing ignitability of the structure.
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20. NEW PERSPECTIVE: BREAK THE WUI DISASTER CYCLE
Severe Fire
Conditions
Fuel, Weather,
and Topography
Wildland Fire
Rapid fire spread
and/or
High intensity
Urban Fire
Multiple,
simultaneous
ignitions
Stopping the transition of fire from “wildland” fuels to “built” fuels significantly reduces the likelihood of a disaster.
New Perspective: Break the WUI Disaster Cycle
-Emphasize that :
“Stopping the transition of fire from “wildland” fuels to “built” fuels significantly reduces the likelihood of a disaster”.
GRAPHIC MODIFIED WITH PERMISSION, NFPA WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS DIVISION
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21. The Ignition Zone Structure + Priority Zones
Home Ignition Zone
100 m
100 m PZ
Zone 3 PZ
Zone 2
Structure &
PZ Zone 1 PZ
Zone 2 PZ
Zone 3
The Ignition Zone - Structure + Priority Zones
Flagship mitigation concept
-As far as anything to do with why structures ignite and what we know about it – this is where the rubber hits the road – in the Ignition Zone –
The structure surrounded by 3 FireSmart Priority Zones.
-FireSmart Priority Zones - The area around an interface structure or development is broken into three concentric Priority Zones be established around each building.
Priority Zone 1 <10 m from the building
Priority Zone m from the building
Priority Zone 3 >30 m from the building
Structural Fuel
Modification
Wildland Fuel
Modification
Wildland Fuel
Modification
Ignition Potential is determined by characteristics of structure and surrounding flammable materials
Text Ref:
GRAPHIC MODIFIED WITH PERMISSION,
NFPA WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS DIVISION

22. Workshop Exercise #1-1: Wildfire! Preventing Home Ignitions*
19 minutes.
* Courtesy of Firewise Communities/NFPA
Record key messages in your Student Workbook
Provide a 3 line summary of findings
Workshop Exercise #1-1:
Wildfire! Preventing Home Ignitions* 19 minutes.
Courtesy of Firewise Communities/NFPA
Record key messages in your Student Workbook
Provide a 3 line summary of findings
Objective: Acquaint CC’s with key concepts related to preventing WUI structure ignitions.
Objective: Acquaint CC’s with key concepts related to preventing WUI structure ignitions.
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23. Workshop Exercise #1-1: Video Discussion:
-What are some key structure ignition issues that are highlighted in the Wildfire - Preventing Home Ignitions video (aka ‘Jack Cohen video’)?
Workshop Exercise #1-1:
Video Discussion:
-What are some key structure ignition issues that are highlighted in the Wildfire - Preventing Home Ignitions video (aka ‘Jack Cohen video’)?
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24. Structural Ignition Question
How close do flames and firebrands have to be for a wildfire to ignite a flammable structure?
Structural Ignition Question
How close do flames and firebrands have to be for a wildfire to ignite a flammable structure?
Structural Ignition Research helps us:
-Understand heat transfer in the WUI.
-Confirm or develop guidelines for mitigating the risk of ignition.
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25. Structural Ignition Research
Structural Ignition Research helps us:
-understand heat transfer in the WUI.
-confirm or develop guidelines for mitigating the risk of ignition.
Structural Ignition Research
Structural Ignition Research helps us:
-Understand heat transfer in the WUI.
-Confirm or develop guidelines for mitigating the risk of ignition
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26. Key Observations -Walls rarely ignite from radiation
-Walls often self extinguish as fire passes.
Key Observations
-Walls rarely ignite from radiation, self-extinguish as fire passes.
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27. -Firebrands don’t ignite vertical walls
Key Observations
-Firebrands don’t ignite vertical walls
-Accumulations of firebrands at wall/floor junction will ignite the wall.
Key Observations
-Firebrands don’t ignite vertical walls (much different at wall/floor junction)
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28. -burns fiercely when contacted by flame - (convection).
Key Observations
Vinyl siding:
-does not ignite due to radiation;
-burns fiercely when contacted by flame - (convection).
Key Observations
-Vinyl siding does not ignite due to radiation; burns fiercely when contacted by flame.
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29. Key Observations
-Asphalt/composition roofing does not ignite (with flaming debris on it.)
Key Observations
-Asphalt/composition roofing does not ignite.
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30. Workshop Exercise #1-2: NWT Experimental Crown Fire Video
View this video and jot down key points in your Manual.
Offer your key points to the class for discussion.
Workshop Exercise #3:
NWT Experimental Crown Fire Video - Courtesy of FP Innovations
View this video and jot down key points in your Manual.
Offer your key points to the class for discussion.
Objective: Acquaint CC’s with structure survival research findings and resulting FireSmart mitigations.
Objective: Acquaint CC’s with structure survival research findings and resulting FireSmart mitigations.
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