Unit 7 - Securing the Control Line

Objectives

• Understand methods of holding and securing the control line to prevent slop-overs

• Demonstrate methods of mopping up after the control line is secure

• Explain about recognizing and protecting the point of origin

Holding the Control Line

• Heavy or overhanging fuels

• Hillsides• Hot spots• Spot fires

Trenching

• This is digging a shallow trench with the berm on the downhill side

• Any rolling material goes into the trench instead of all the way to the bottom of the hill

Hotspotting

• Areas of the line where fire is still active

• Wind, radiant heat, spots, or falling material can jump the line

Fireproofing

• This is protecting risk fuels on the green side of the line

• Foam gels, or retardant

• Removing fuel

Dozer Piles

• You may need to break up piles that may have burning material inside

• Don’t climb on top of piles

Mopping up

• This is putting out all remaining areas of fire and/or hotspots after the line around the fire is complete

Systematic method of mop-up

LCES

Wind at 5 mph

Wet or Dry?

Pattern

N

Mop-up

• Mop-up is killing all remaining hotspots or smoldering areas

• Especially important to check areas near the control line

• On large incidents, the fire may be gridded out into sections

Mop-up Tips

• If no hotspots are found, wait a few minutes and look for smoke

• Look & listen for areas or spots

• Feel for heat

Mopping up with Water

• Mix up some mud and stir in smoldering materials if water is short

• If you have plenty of water, use straight streams to get into deep seated material

Surface & Ground Mop-up

• You may have to turn duff over several times to get all of the hot material exposed and out

• Tree roots may be smoldering under the surface

Snags• Burned trees with;

– Fire above ground– Burned up branches– Leaning/unstable– Smoldering/burned

roots

• This is sawyer work; don’t attempt dropping this on your own

• SNAGS WILL KILL YOU!

Protecting the Point of Origin• The area where the fire started is likely

to be the area of the most heat damage. • On most wildland fires, look for areas of

hot white ash, this is usually your point of origin

• Also look and compare burn damage in different areas

• Protect the POO from damage from vehicles and foot traffic

• Don’t let anyone tamper with the site

Protecting the Point of Origin

• Good clues include damage to foilage that doesn’t normally burn well

Other clues that might help

• Always be on the lookout for suspicious people nearby the fire area

• Look around for any witnesses

Look at This