Alaska Interagency FirefighterOrientation

Alaska Interagency FirefighterOrientation

Comments or concerns regardingthis briefing:

AFS Fire Operations Duty OfficeP.O. Box 35005Ft. Wainwright, AK 99703(907) 356-5660 E-mail: fire.ak.blm.gov/

Get A Specific Local Briefing !

• Chain of Command

• Previous and expected fire behavior

• Fire weather forecasts and how updated information is relayed

• Local factors that influence fire behavior

• Local fuel types/hazards/considerations

• Communication links/systems/problems

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10 Year Average of Fire Frequencyand Size by Agency :10 Year Average of Fire Frequencyand Size by Agency :

•160 Fires on 650,000 Acres

•485 Fires on 215,000 Acres

•40 Fires on 200 Acres

CanadianForestFire DangerRating System

CanadianForestFire DangerRating System

CFFDRSCFFDRS

FireWeatherIndex

Intensity Class forBorealSpruce

Intensity Class forBorealSpruce

General response to:

Black Spruce at 60% RHBlack Spruce at 60% RH

Fire will lay quiet andsmolder.

Fire is generally not asuppression problem.

Fire can be controlledby cold-trailing the edge.

General response to:

Black Spruce at 50% RHBlack Spruce at 50% RH

•Burns slowly but consistently.

•R.O.S: 0 to 3 chains/hr.

•Flame lengths - 0 to 1 ft.

•Direct attack of the flanks and head is effective.

•Hand line should hold. Maintain patrol.

General response to:

Black Spruce at 40% RHBlack Spruce at 40% RH

•Burns hot with occasional torching.

•R.O.S: 3 to 20 chains/hr.

•Flame lengths: 1- 2 ft.

•Projected Area Growth in the first hour: 1 to 18 acres.

•Torching and spotting ahead of the front.

General response to:

Black Spruce at 40% RH cont...Black Spruce at 40% RH cont...

•10 mph wind - expect a slow moving crown fire with surface fuels burning in advance of the crowns.

•Closed canopy - may be too intense for direct attack at the head.

•Canopy open - direct attack on surface fire may be possible after ladder fuels are consumed and the fire drops back to the ground.

General response to:

Black Spruce at 40% RH cont...Black Spruce at 40% RH cont...

•Don’t rely on blackline to hold. Increase patrol.

•Retardant and hose lays are generally effective.

•These fires are potentially dangerous to personnel and equipment.

General response to:

Black Spruce-at 30% RHBlack Spruce-at 30% RH

•Expect torching, crowning, and spotting.

•R.O.S: 20 - 60 chains/hr.

•Flame length: 2 - 4 feet.

•Projected Area Growth in the first hour: 18 - 72 acres.

•Direct attack on flanks may still be effective, especially if assisted with water or retardant.

General response to:

Black Spruce at 30% RH cont…. Black Spruce at 30% RH cont….

•Increase patrol and consider aerial surveillance of line.

•With a 10 mph wind, expect a full blown crown fire with spotting.

•These fires are definitely dangerous to personnel and equipment. Direct attack efforts at the head will be ineffective.

•Indirect attack is advised.

General response to:

Black Spruce at 20% RHBlack Spruce at 20% RH•Intense, running, crowning, spotting.

•R.O.S. - greater than 60 chains/hr.

•Flame lengths - more than 4 feet.

•Projected Area Growth in the first hour - greater than 72 acres.

•Expect major fire runs, control efforts at the head are ineffective.

These fires are dangerous to personnel and equipment!!

Black Spruce Fuel ModelsBlack Spruce Fuel Models•Use fuel model #9 (hardwood litter) X 1.21 to predict R.O.S.

•Use fuel model # 5 (2’ brush) to predict flame length or intensity.

Black Spruce is Alaska’s Problem FuelBlack Spruce is Alaska’s Problem Fuel

•Fire behavior in black spruce is frequently underestimated.

•A cool, rainy day or high RH will make the fire lay quiet.

•If this is followed by clear,warm, breezy weather with lower relative humidity, the fire will be making runs by afternoon.

Don’t underestimate this fuel type!!!

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