1. Aircraft Strategy &Tactics Terminology Parts of Fire Basic Tactics Drop Patterns Example Review Ten Principles of Retardant Application By Steve Hubbard

2. “SEE” WHAT YOU CAN DO! “SEE” = Safe (Always assure safety before any other goal) Effective (….actually putting the fire out is nice….but safety first) Efficient (….only if Safe & Effective)

3. STRATEGY Mental process for establishing incident objectives and priorities. What do you want to save…and how bad?

4. TACTICS A series of tasks or operations done to achieve an objective. How are you actually going to do the job?

5. Parts of a Fire POCKET ISLAND HEAD RIGHT SHOULDER LEFT SHOULDER LEFT FLANK RIGHT FLANK ROAD BOTTOM LINE: This is how the fire fighters describe things. SPOT FIRE FINGER ANCHOR POINT HEEL (ORIGIN)

6. “AMOEBA” Fire N S E W For this fire, you may have to resort to Cardinal directions when talking to ground folks.

7. Downhill Fire DOWNHILL SLOPE ROAD RIGHT FLANK LEFT FLANK Head is still the most active part of fire. Firefighters still relate to left and right.

8. FIRE ATTACK TACTICS THREE BASIC METHODS INDIRECT DIRECT PARALLEL

9. INDIRECT ATTACK A DISTANCE AWAY UTILIZE NATURAL BARRIERS RIDGE LINE BURN OUT BETWEEN USUALLY A LARGE-FIRE TACTIC

10. DIRECT ATTACK WORKING DIRECTLY ON FIRE EDGE “ONE FOOT IN THE BURN – ONE IN THE GREEN”

11. PARALLEL ATTACK MOVE OFF FIRE EDGE A SHORT DISTANCE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LIGHT FUELS/BARRIERS STRAIGHTEN RAGGED EDGE MOST DANGEROUS METHOD FOR FIREFIGHTERS FIRE OUT BETWEEN

12. TACTICS EVERY FIRE IS DIFFERENT DIRECT? INDIRECT? ANCHOR POINT = WORK FROM IT HONEST EVALUATION = COMMUNICATE WITH THE GROUND!

13. AIRCRAFT PATTERNS FLANKING TANDEM AHEAD TANDEM BEHIND HOOK NARROW “VEE” WIDE “VEE” ANGLE TIE-IN SPOT FIRE PRE-TREAT ANGLE-OUT COOLING CONVECTION COLUMN SPOT FIELD COVER

14. FLANKING GOOD METHOD = STARTS FROM ANCHOR POINT USED ON FAST RUNNING FIRES CONSERVATIVE

15. TANDEM AHEAD PROVIDES MOST ASSISTANCE TO GROUND FORCES ANCHOR DONE BY GROUND TROOPS OFTEN TO SUPPORT DOZERS IN HEAVY BRUSH

16. TANDEM BEHIND ANCHOR MADE BY GROUND TROOPS IS RE-ENFORCED MOST OFTEN USED WHEN HIGH VALUES ARE BEING PROTECTED ASSIST GROUND FORCES TO HOLD HASTILY DONE LINES PICKS UP SPOTS AND SLOP-OVERS

17. HOOK USED OFF FLANKING PATTERN TO CUT ACROSS HEAD FLANKING CONTROL COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY GROUND FORCES

18. NARROW “VEE” QUICKLY CATCH HEAD OF SMALL FIRE ASK YOURSELF: HOW SOON WILL IT GET ANCHORED?….AND WHO IS GOING TO DO IT? ADDITIONAL DROPS, HOSELAYS, OR LINE CONSTRUCTION MUST BE ASSURED TO FOLLOW SOON! AGGRESSIVE METHOD

19. WIDE “VEE” A LITTLE OUT IN FRONT – “JUST TO SLOW IT DOWN” ANCHOR PROBLEM IS WORSE – BECAUSE YOU EXPECT EVEN A LONGER DELAY BEFORE ANCHORING! OFTEN USED SIMILAR TO CREW HOT-SPOTTING = BUYING TIME

20. ANGLE TIE-IN FREQUENTLY USED METHOD THAT PROVIDES A DEFENDABLE TIE TO THE ANCHOR POINT PLAN USUALLY WOULD INCLUDE FIRING OUT TO THE BARRIER

21. SPOT FIRE USUALLY NO PLACE TO ANCHOR TRY TO DROP FROM TWO DIRECTIONS FOR BETTER COVERAGE (SHADOWING) OBJECTIVE IS TO HOLD UNTIL GROUND FORCES ARRIVE PUTTING AN “X” ON IT WORKS WELL ALSO

22. PRE-TREAT USED TO WIDEN A NATURAL BARRIER PROVIDES BACKFIRE SUPPORT HELPS TO LOWER SPOT FIRE SPREAD POTENTIAL PLACE OUTSIDE OF MAIN LINE AND ON LEE SIDE RIDGE LINE

23. ANGLE OUT RIDGE LINE USED WHEN YOU CAN’T GET TO BOTTOM (STAIR-STEP?) TELL GROUND FORCES WHAT YOU DID NOT PERFECT – BUT LEAVES SOMETHING FOR THE FIRE TO BUMP AND HOLD LONGER

24. COOLING CONVECTION HEAD IS MOVING SPOT FIELD TO STOP HAVING TO CHASE SPOT FIRES ALL DAY DROP TIGHT TO BACKSIDE AND ALLOW CONVECTION WIND TO DRAW IT IN GROUND SIDE-VIEW

25. SPOT FIELD COVER MULTIPLE LINES SPACED NARROWER THAN THE FIRE-RUNNING DISTANCE NEEDED TO BUILD UP SPOTTING HEADS FROM NEW SPOT FIRES (USE NATURAL BARRIERS TOO) REQUIRES LARGE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT BE QUICKLY COMMITTED AT SAME TIME AND THIS WILL FORCE PLACING LINES A LONG DISTANCE OUT IN FRONT THIS IS A NEW TACTIC PLEASE SHARE ANY STORIES

26. EXAMPLE COW PATH ROAD WIND

27. EXAMPLE COW PATH ROAD WIND ON RETURN

28. 10 PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION From The National Wildfire Coordinating Group

29. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 1. DECIDE TACTICS = DIRECT OR INDIRECT? SIZE-UP RESOURCES AVAILABLE

30. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 2. ESTABLISH ANCHOR POINT WORK FROM IT

31. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 3. USE PROPER DROP HEIGHT UP/DOWN WIND? LIGHT/HEAVY GPC?

32. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 4. APPLY PROPER COVERAGE LEVELS EFFECTIVENESS VERSUS WASTE

33. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 5. DROP DOWNHILL AND DOWN- SUN WHEN FEASIBLE….BUT: SAFE EXIT IS KEY = LEVEL RUN OVER RISING TERRAIN INTO WIND MAY BE AS GOOD

34. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 6. DROP INTO THE WIND FOR BEST ACCURACY….BUT: “SEE” = BE SAFE BEFORE TRYING TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE(or EFFICIENT)

35. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 7. DO HONEST EVALUATIONS OF AIR ATTACK EFFORTS TALK TO GROUND WITH SAME HONESTY

36. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 8. GO DIRECT ONLY WHEN GROUND SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE OR WHEN EXTINGUISHMENT IS PROBABLE

37. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 9. PLAN DROPS SO THEY CAN BE EXTENDED OR INTERSECTED EFFECTIVELY

38. PRINCIPLES OF RETARDANT APPLICATION 10. MONITOR EFFECTIVENESS AND ADJUST AS NEEDED….OR SHUT IT DOWN? SHOW-TIME ANYWAY?

39. Aircraft Strategy &Tactics Terminology Parts of Fire Basic Tactics Drop Patterns Example Review Ten Principles of Retardant Application