Professionals - Wildfires - Prevention part 3

1. E-Learning for Wildfires
Professionals

2. Wildfire Prevention – Part 3:
Impacts of wildfires and actions to
prevent, protect and limit the effects
of wildfires
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3. Fire Behaviour
This is the third part of the module on wildfire prevention . It will
explain the following topics:
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• Impacts of wildfires
• Lessons learned from fatalities
and injuries at previous
wildfires
• Actions and activities to
prevent, protect and limit the
effects of wildfires
Source: Junta de Andalucía (Spain)

4. Impacts of wildfires
Wildfires can represent a significant threat to:
HUMAN S– Loss of life and injury to members of the public including agencies
involved in fire fighting
PROPERTY - destruction and damage to housing and urban interface
INFRASTRUCTURE -disruption of access roads and utilities
ENVIRONMENT -Damage to crops, agricultural land , timber production,
destruction of natural environment , contamination of water supplies and
potential release of carbon to the atmosphere
ECONOMY -Employment, financial loss and the resulting detrimental affect to
the local community
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5. Lessons Learned
One of the most significant impacts of wildfires is loss of life and injury.
Wildfires can cause fatalities and injuries, both to members of the public
and to firefighters.
The video on the following page is a moving tribute to wildland
firefighters by the USDA Forest Service. There are a number of other
specific tributes to firefighters killed in the line of duty at other wildfire
incidents around the world.
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Impacts of wildfires

6. We need to find out why people have died during past wildfires in order to
reduce the likelihood of future deaths and injuries. This will help us learn
what went wrong and why it went wrong.
It is extremely important that we study the causes of firefighter fatalities at
previous wildfires By studying these tragic incidents, we can help ensure that
firefighters stay safe at future wildfires.
We know there are some common denominators for firefighter fatalities, and
we know these form analysis of previous reports.
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Impacts of wildfires

7. There are a number of factors that have been identified as contributing to previous
fire fighter fatalities at wildfires. There are also four common denominators that
have been identified from analysis of previous incidents. These are:
Fires burning surprisingly fast upslope especially in re-entrants, chimneys and
saddle features
Unexpected changes in wind strength and direction
Most accidents occur on smaller fires or isolated areas at larger incidents
Flare ups generally occur in deceptively light fuels such as grass and light
scrubland
Communication failures have also been regarded as a key contributing factor to a
number of previous firefighter fatalities.
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Impacts of wildfires

8. Studying case studies and reports into previous wildfires can help raise awareness of
some of the common and uncommon factors and decisions that have contributed to
firefighter fatalities, injuries and near misses. The following websites provide
general information about firefighter fatalities and injuries in the USA:
• National Fire Protection Association (USA) - Top 10 Deadliest Wild land
Firefighter Fatality Incidents
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (USA) Wild land Firefighter Fatalities
in the United States: 1990-2006
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Impacts of wildfires
Further information about firefighter fatalities and injuries

9. The following reports and case studies from the USA provide more detailed
information about specific wildfires involving firefighter fatalities, injuries and near
misses:
• Yarnell Hill, USA – 30th June 2013
• Salt Fire, USA – 29th August 2011
• Thirty Mile Fire, USA – September 2001
• South Canyon Fire, USA – July, 1994
• Dude Fire, USA – 25th June 1990
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Impacts of wildfires
Reports into firefighter fatalities and injuries

10. There are also a number of video documentaries that have been
produced on firefighter fatalities and injuries. A selection of these
videos are included on the following pages.
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Video documentaries about firefighter fatalities and injuries
Impacts of wildfires

11. During the previous module, you learned that fire behaviour at wildfire
incidents can change rapidly both in intensity and in the rate of
firespread.
It is necessary to understand how and why fire behaviour and rates of
spread change in order to successfully:
• Prevent wildfires occurring
• Prepare for wildfires
• Respond and suppress wildfires safely and effectively
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Prevention

12. Prevention
How to prevent wildfires
This next section of the module will focus on
prevention activities.
Prevention is better than cure. It is more
effective to prevent wildfires than to simply
respond to them when they occur.
Prevention helps reduce the chances of a
wildfire happening. This can be achieved
mainly through education and outreach to
communities, schools, conducting
workshops, talks, tours, demonstrations,
games, etc.
Fire prevention can minimizes fire spread
and therefore damage to the environment is
limited
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13. Prevention
Active prevention
Active prevention is the series of activities carried out before the
wildfire season. It consists of preparing the landscape and acquiring or
maintaining the equipment needed to combat wildfires such as vehicles,
tools, uniforms, etc.
Active prevention also includes the correct training of personnel ahead
of the wildfire season.
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14. Prevention
Indirect prevention: Detection
Detection means the series of activities whose purpose is to discover,
locate and report the presence of a fire to the Operation Centre.
There are basically two types of detection:
• Fixed Detection: Done mainly through the use of observation points
and watchtowers.
• Mobile detection: It can be done mainly in two ways: by land and air.
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15. Prevention
Indirect prevention: Detection
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16. Prevention
Direct prevention: Forestry
activities
The most important silvicultural
care when looking at direct
forestry prevention are the
treatment of the complementary
vegetation through clearing or
weeding and control of biomass
through pruning and thinning
of the vegetation.
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17. Prevention
Direct prevention: Forestry activities
BREAKING THE HORIZONTAL CONTINUITY OF THE FUEL
Mechanised weeding will take place at times that do not affect wildlife and
before times of high risk of wildfires.
Discharges of wastes (lubricants, fuel) during forestry operations that may
increase the risk of wildfires must be avoided.
Service companies must have a waste treatment system.
The accumulation of forest biomass susceptible to burn should be
prevented so as not to adversely intensify wildfires.
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18. Prevention
Direct prevention: Forestry activities
BREAKING THE HORIZONTAL CONTINUITY OF THE FUEL → CLEARING AND
THINNING
• Avoid intense thinning in areas exposed to strong winds. The mass becomes
unstable causing an increase in dead biomass, increasing the risk of
wildfires.
• Avoid silvicultural practices that foster the emergence of pests and diseases, such
as the burning of waste in the hills and mountains or leaving branches with a
diameter greater than 6cm on the ground. Operations that may increase the
risk of wildfires must be avoided.
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19. Prevention
Direct prevention: Forestry activities
BREAKING THE HORIZONTAL CONTINUITY OF THE FUEL - CLEARING AND
THINNING
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20. Prevention
Direct prevention: Forestry activities
BREAKING THE VERTICAL CONTINUITY OF THE FUEL → PRUNING
• Plan ahead the time of pruning, according to the species, the targeted use of the forest
(timber, fruits, etc.) and the risk of fires and sanitary condition of the forest.
• Perform the pruning in stages depending on the growth of the tree.
• Pruning should not be performed until the trees are 6 meter high or 10 cm in diameter at
the trunk base.
• Remove the lower branches up to 1/3 of the total height.
• Use clean cutting tools that do not cause health risks and minimize the area affected by
the cut.
• Eliminate forest residues, preferably by grinding.
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21. Prevention
Direct prevention: Forestry activities
BREAKING THE HORIZONTAL CONTINUITY OF THE FUEL → PRUNING
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22. Prevention
Other direct prevention activities
• CONTROLLED GRAZING: Animals can
be used to graze and consume vegetation
to help reduce and maintain fuel levels.
They can be used to keep fuel levels low
or to remove fuel entirely to create
control lines that can be used on the
event of a wildfire.
• Click here to access a video library that
provides further information about
targeted grazing for achieving specific
objectives (including fire management)
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Source: Junta de Andalucia (Spain)

23. Prevention
Other direct prevention activities
• CONTROLLED GRAZING: Bringing animals to graze in areas at risk of wildfires. The
animals maintain the areas used as control lines in the event of fires ,by consuming the
vegetation.
• CONTROL LINES: This method is used to control the fire, using existing or constructed
barriers as well as the edges of the fire which are already extinguished..
• PRESCRIBED or CONTROLLED BURN: A planned and supervised burn carried out under
specified environmental conditions to remove fuel from a predetermined area of land and
at the time, intensity and rate of spread required to meet land management objectives.
Prescribed burning is not currently permitted within all EU countries. Those countries
that do permit prescribed burns often have specific legal restrictions concerning when
and where a prescribed burn can take place. (European Glossary for wildfires and forest
fires - October 2012 - 1st edition - EUFOFINET project )
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24. In the UK, prescribed burning is controlled by:
• England - The Heather and Grass Burning Code 2007
• Wales - The Heather and Grass Burning Code 2008
• Scotland - The Muirburn Code
These codes provide guidance on best practice for prescribed burning.
They include specific requirements that land managers should follow
prior to, during and after completing prescribed burning. They also
stipulate the time of year that burns can legally take place.
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Prevention

25. For more specific information, click on the following links:
• UK Government - Heather and grass burning: rules and applying for
licences
• Welsh Government – Heather and grass burning
• Scotland – The Muirburn Code
• Isle of Man – Heath Burning Code 2010
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Further information about controlled burning rules and legislation
Prevention

26. Further guidance and advice concerning prescribed burning in the UK
can also be provided by:
• Upland Management Group
• The Heather Trust
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Further advice about prescribed burning
Prevention

27. Prevention
Housing areas, dangerous installations and rural land for farming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0evWba4gLYM
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28. Prevention
Housing areas, dangerous installations and rural land for farming
• Prevention regarding power lines
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29. Prevention
Housing areas, dangerous installations and rural land for farming
Prevention and good practices in burning trimmings
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It is mandatory in some areas to
communicate to the competent
authority before burning agricultural
waste on forest land and surrounding
areas.
For an authorisation to be granted, it
will be taken into account the risks
and area burned.
Source: Junta de Andalucia (Spain)

30. Prevention
Housing areas, dangerous installations and rural land for farming
Prevention and good practices in implementing the burning of
agricultural and forestry residues
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31. Prevention
Other methods of prevention
• EDUCATIONAL PREVENTION: Education at the school, dissemination
of information in the media during the high risk season, Forest Policy,
Enforcing the Law, etc.
The videos on the next page are from the USA and aim to educate members of
the public to better protect their own homes from wildfires. Some of the
videos relate to Firewise Communities, which is an extensive and successful
programme across the USA. Click the link to find out more about Firewise
Communities
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32. Management of the landscape is an important wildfire prevention activity as
it can help prevent large and destructive wildfires.
The Forestry Commission have produced a best practice guide on how to
build wildfire resilience into forests. This document provides some useful
guidance applicable to forestry and other open habitats. Click here to view a
copy of the guidance document.
The videos on the next few pages highlight some of the key benefits of
moorland management around the UK, including wildfire risk management.
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Prevention

33. e-Learning for the Prevention, Preparedness and Response to
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End of Module Summary

34. Now that you have worked
through this module you should
understand some of the dangers
posed by wildfires.
You should also understand the
importance of preventing
wildfires from occurring.
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End of Module Summary
Source: Junta de Andalucia (Spain)

35. We hope you enjoyed the
module!
Please visit the next
module which explains
how to prepare for
wildfires before they
occur.
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End of Module Summary
Source: Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (UK)

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