1. Basic Fire Control Training
Ignition Techniques (adapted from FL DOF

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. Two situations requiring knowledge of ignition techniques
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”
Suppression burning is the use of prescribed fire in a wildland fire situation

4. 2 types of suppression burning
Counter Fire
Burn-out

5. 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

6. 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

7. What are the FACTORS TO DETERMINE FIRING TECHNIQUES?
OBJECTIVES
WIND SPEED & DIRECTION
SMOKE SENSITIVE AREAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY?
CREW EXPERIENCE/KNOWLEDGE

8. 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)

9. 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???

10. 1. Backing Fire

11. 1. Backing Fire
BURNS INTO THE WIND

12. 1. Backing Fire

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

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

15. 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

16. 2. Strip-Head Fire

17. Flank Fire
REMAIN IN SIGHT
MAINTAIN
PACE

18. 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

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

20. 3. Flank Fire

21. 4. Point Source (Spot) Fire

22. 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

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

24. Point Source (Spot) Fire, initiation

25. Point Source (Spot) Fire- growth

26. 5. Ring Fire

27. 5. Ring Fire Traditionally used for site-prep
Minimizes short range spotting
Quick & easy
Early “point-of-no-return”
Traps wildlife
High convection
When using ring ignition, consider:
Access
Objectives (overstory, smoke plume, speed)
Begin with center point ignition

28. 5. Ring Fire

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

30. SECUREING A BASE LINE…

31. LINE WIDTH?

32. >2X FLAME LENGTH

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

34. USE CAUTION WALKING DOWNWIND!

35. USE CAUTION IN HEAVY FUELS

36. USE CAUTION ON SLOPES

37. USE CAUTION WHEN FIRES CONVERGE

38. ALWAYS WATCH WHAT YOUR FIRE IS DOING

39. FIRE GENERATED WINDS

40. KNOW LOCATIONS OF
PERSONNEL & EQUIPMENT

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