Community Wildfire Safety presentation May 2014 web resident

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description

This is a presentation to help residents understand how to preprare your property for a possible wildfire event

Transcript of Community Wildfire Safety presentation May 2014 web resident

Page 1: Community Wildfire Safety presentation May 2014 web resident
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Welcome and Thank You Tonight I will be giving you information that is covered in 24 class hours in about 20 minutes to help you understand what the firefighters are looking at and to help you understand how a wildfire will impact your home. I will be going fast so tighten you seat belts and jot any questions down for the end. First a quick video of some Denver firefighters at the Black Forest Fire to give you some feel of being in a wildfire.
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Genesee Fire Rescue, Genesee community and State and Federal athorities are all linked together in an effort make the potential fire event safer.

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Following is a slide and video presentation designed to help you understand what fire can do and how to prepare your home.

Any slide that says “click image to play video” will take you to a YouTube video we have prepared for you.

Again, Thank you!

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*Click on image to play video

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Presenter
Presentation Notes
It takes 3 components to have fire: Oxygen – Heat – Fuel. Remove any one of these and no more fire. Water removes Heat / foam and dirt remove Oxygen / fire line and mitigation removes Fuel.
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Convection

Radiation

Conduction

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Oxygen and Fuel are everywhere – so how does the Heat spread? Convection – heat rises Conduction – heat transfers directly from one fuel source go another by direct contact Radiation – this is the heat you feel when you stand in front of your fireplace
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Temperature Wind

Increases supply of oxygen. Drives convective heat into adjacent fuels. Influences direction of spread and spotting. Carries away moist air replacing it with drier air. Dries fuels. Raises fuel moisture if the air contains moisture.

Relative Humidity As RH increases, fuel moisture increases.

Precipitation Increases fuel moisture

Presenter
Presentation Notes
There are 4 parts of weather that impact fire behavior: Temperature – preheats fuels in direct sunlight and lowers RH Wind – RH Relative Humidity – impacts fuel moisture Precipitation -
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Strong Wind. Sudden changes in wind direction and velocity due to

weather fronts. High, fast-moving clouds may indicate unusual surface

winds. Unexpected calm may indicate wind shift. Thunderstorms above or close to the fire. Unusually high temperatures and low relative humidity. Dust devils and whirlwinds developing. Bent smoke column.

Weather Indicators

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Not much we can do with the weather other than watch for warning signs and try to predict weather that may cause problem fire behavior
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SOUTH

NORTH

Heavy fuels Shade Moist

Light fuels Sunny Dry

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Example: Driving down I-70 towards Denver
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Flame is closer to

and preheating

fuel

Convection and Radiant Heat

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Fire moves approximately 17 times faster than on level ground
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
Like a chimney, the canyon will draw the air up it and in doing so will increase the wind speed and the rate of spread and intensity of the fire. Air want equilibrium. As the Hot air rises and creates void so that surrounding air will rush in achieve equilibrium – sort of like a mini low pressure system. GENESEE
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
You get the effects of a chimney and embers have a shorter distance to travel and start spot fires.
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
Water flowing in a stream
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Steep slopes. Chutes, saddles, and box canyons which

provide conditions for “chimney effect.” Narrow canyons may increase fire spread

by radiant heat and spotting.

Topography Indicators

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Fuel Characteristics

Fuel Moisture Size and Shape Fuel Loading Horizontal Continuity Vertical Arrangement

Presenter
Presentation Notes
These are the 5 characteristics we look at regarding fuels
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The amount of water in a fuel expressed as a percentage of the

oven-dry weight of that fuel.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Determines how well a fuel will ignite and burn. Dry fuels will ignite and burn much more easily than the same fuels when they are wet. Before a wet fuel can burn, the moisture it contains must evaporate. 1-hour0.0 to 0.25 inch diameterGrass, pine needles, etc. 10–hour0.25 to 1 inch diameterComputed from observation time temperature, humidity, and cloudiness. 100–hour1 to 3 inches diameterComputed from 24–hour average conditions composed of day length, hours of rain, and daily temperature/humidity ranges. 1000–hour3 to 8 inches diameterComputed from a 7–day average conditions composed of day length, hours of rain, and daily temperature/humidity ranges.
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Light Fuels: Leaves Grass Shrubs

Heavy Fuels: Limbs Logs Stumps

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The higher the ratio of Surface Area to Volume of a fuel, the easier to ignite. Takes more BTUs to ignite larger fuels with lower Surface to Volume ratios
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The quantity of fuels in an area

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Simply put it is the amount of fuel in an area. grass, brush, trees, structures Usually expressed in Tons Per Acre
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Horizontal Continuity: Uniform Patchy

Vertical Arrangement: Ground Surface Aerial

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Presenter
Presentation Notes
Uniform: fuels distributed continuously over the area Patchy: fuels distributed unevenly over the area, or areas of fuel with definite breaks or barriers present.
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Vertical Arrangement of Fuels

Aerial Fuels

Ladder Fuels

Surface Fuels

Ground Fuels

Presenter
Presentation Notes
GROUND FUELS: All combustible materials lying beneath the surface including: deep duff, roots, rotten buried logs, peat, other organic material SURFACE FUESL: All materials lying on or immediately above the ground including: needles, leaves, grass, downed logs, stumps, large limbs, low shrubs LADDER FUELS; Any fuels that provide a connection between the surface and upper canopy. AERIAL FUELS: All green and dead materials located in the upper forest canopy including: tree branches, crowns, snags, moss, high shrubs
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Unusually dry fuels. Large amount of light fuel (shrubs, grass,

needles). Fuels exposed to direct sunlight. Fuels dried by prolonged drought. Ladder fuels that allow a surface fire to move

into the crowns of shrubs or trees. Crown foliage dried by surface fire. Concentration of snags.

Fuel Indicators

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Fire Behavior Terms

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Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly.

*Click on image to play video

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Fire spread rapidly with a well defined head.

*Click on image to play video

Presenter
Presentation Notes
I would estimate this fire is moving at 3-5 MPH
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Fire producing sparks or embers that are carried by the wind or convection that start new fires

*Click on image to play video

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Spotting occurs when small burning embers land outside the fire perimeter and start small fires.
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
torching is characterized when trees occasionally burn from bottom to top. Torching can happen with individuals trees or small clusters of trees. Torching is frequently isolated and intermittent. This may be an indicator that fire behavior is increasing
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Fire advances from top-to-top of trees or shrubs more or less independently of the surface fire.

*Click on image to play video

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Crowning occurs when a surface fire moves into and burns in the canopy of trees, independent from the surface. This is a very hazardous situation and tactics usually will involve air support and indirect attack
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Sudden acceleration of fire spread or intensity, but of relatively short duration.

*Click on image to play video

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Indicator of extreme fire behavior
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A spinning, moving column of ascending air rising within a vortex and carrying aloft smoke, debris, and flames.

*Click on image to play video

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Spot fires Falling of snags and shallow rooted trees
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Keep an eye on the smoke column. Indicates direction of fire spread, location of spot fires, and changes in fire intensity.

Many simultaneous fires starting or smoldering fires beginning to pick up in intensity.

Fire begins to torch small groups of trees or shrubs. Frequent spot fires occurring. Fire-whirls beginning to develop inside the main fire. Crown fires.

Fire Behavior Indicators

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Offensive

Defensive

Combination

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Presenter
Presentation Notes
The Basic Tactics we use
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Attack and contain the fire

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Engine and crew DIRECTLY ATTACK the fire With hand tools where flame lengths are no higher than 4 feet Engine attack hose line where flame lengths are up to 8-10 feet and you have sufficient water
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Set up at the house Clear flammable material Protect house from flame and sparks

Presenter
Presentation Notes
Note the engine is set up so it is protected from the radiant heat by the structure The crew will prep the house if time permits and would pull hose lines so that they can reach around the house with water And direct the fire around it. This is dependant upon fuels around the structure and escape routes.
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If too much fire or no defensible space, LEAVE! Return after fire front passes

Presenter
Presentation Notes
If time permits, the crew will prep the structure (in this picture they applied foam) and then retreat to a safety zone and wait. This tactic is most successful where homes have been mitigated and one I have used very successfully several time. It is also safer for the firefighters
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Structure engines at home for protection

Attack fire and and drive flames away from house

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# 1

# 2 # 3

# 4

Structure Triage “Size-Up”

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Presenter
Presentation Notes
One engine with 500 gallons of water and a crew of 4. What actions are you going to take? You know another engine is 5 minutes behind you – now what do you do?
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1. Well-irrigated area encircling structure for at least 30 feet on all sides. Plantings limited to carefully spaced low flammability species.

2. Provide added protection with “Fuel Breaks” like driveways, gravel walkways and lawns.

Case Study of Witch and Guejito Fires

Presenter
Presentation Notes
NIST – National Institute of Standards and Technology These are the first case study evaluating fire mitigation and at the same time factoring in ember exposure and defensive actions. As we go through these you will notice how what we talked about earlier applies. As we do not have manicured, irrigated lawns in Genesee, the takeaway here is to use low flammability species for your landscaping. Not ground cover juniper. Trim the grass to the dirt near any wood siding and decks. There are a few homes in the area where they have created areas of river rock around their house
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3. Keep vegetation pruned and limb trees 6–10 feet from ground. Remove leaf /needle clutter and dead and overhanging branches.

4. Periodically inspect your property, clearing

dead wood and dense vegetation at a distance of at least 30 feet from your house.

5. Is the structure free of an attached wood fence?

Footnote: Of the 241 homes impacted, 13 had wood shake roofs and all 13

were destroyed. A total of 89 were destroyed or damaged.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
3. How many times have your heard this one? The two takeaways we saw first hand at the Black Forest Fire were “keep your gutters clean” and “don’t use landscaping timbers in retaining walls” 4. Just because you did major mitigation work last year does not mean it does not need to be maintained 5. Continuity of fuels - Footnote: Of the 241 homes impacted, 13 had wood shake roofs and all 13 were destroyed. A total of 89 were destroyed or damaged.
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*Click on image to play video

Presenter
Presentation Notes
This video is a couple of minutes and I would like you to Note the embers falling and blowing across the pavement as you watch.
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
This video relates to the embers we just saw. Note the different building materials.
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Shut off natural gas and propane. Place metal (not wooden) ladders against the lee side

of your house. Connect and turn off outside water hoses and nozzles. If time permits, remove combustibles (patio furniture,

firewood, etc.) within 30 feet of your home. Close windows and doors to the house to prevent

sparks and embers from blowing inside. Cover gable vents if time permits.

Close all doors inside the house to prevent draft. Turn OFF fans, air conditioner, furnace.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
IF YOU HAVE TIME – If you get an evacuation notice – do exactly what it tells you to do and preferably in less time than it may allow.
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Move furniture from windows. Take down your drapes and curtains and close all

blinds to deflect heat. Fill all bathtubs, sinks and other containers with

water to deflect heat. Leave exterior lights on so responders can find your

home at night. Put on natural fiber clothing and take your 72-Hour

kit with you. Leave front door unlocked. Put a white flag (towel, pillow case, etc.) outside

where it can be seen from the roadway.

Presenter
Presentation Notes
The most important takeaway from this is IF YOU HAVE TIME.
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Black Forest Fire 2013 Video courtesy of Colorado Springs Fire Department

*Click on image to play video

Presenter
Presentation Notes
This is a 5 minute video taken by the Training Chief for CSFD at the Black Forest Fire showing a crew performing a defensive tactic at a home.
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Questions?