2017 Asia Forest Fire Management Training Seoul, Republic of Korea, 15-22 October 2017

Oyunsanaa ByambasurenUNISDR-Regional Central Asia Wildland Fire Network

Fire Management Resource Center – Central Asia Regionc/o National University of Mongolia

Extreme fire behaviour and fire safety

Equipment and vehicles hazards

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Emergency situations

Contents

Fatalities (Forest fires-2007):Greece – 63Croatia – 12Bulgaria - 3

UNISDR Regional Southeast Europe / Caucasus  Wildland Fire Network

Fatalities (Forest fires-2012):Macedonia - 4

-A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment.

= Likelihood of Occurrence x Seriousness if incident occurred (vulnerability)

A fireground environment holds many potential hazards so the firstquestion to be asked is “Why am I here at all?” or “What is my purposehere?”.

For firefighters tackling a wildfire the normal purpose is to protectsomething, usually in the following order:

• Human life, firstly of the firefighter• Communities• Property• Natural resource

HAZARD

Risk

Extreme fire behaviour and fire safety

1.1.1  Typical fire shape with associated hazards

Fire environment &fire behaviour

Effect of wind change on a fire

Some key questions:• Where and when will fire behaviour change?• Will the situation become worse or better?• How long will your location be safe?• When should you move?

Radiant Heat AcrossNarrow Canyon

Spotting Across Narrow Canyon

The chimney effect

Look up, look down and look around fire behaviour indicators

Fire behaviour hazards and control measures

Portugal 2006

One survived

Equipment and vehicles hazards

Equipment and vehicle hazards

Country Aircrafts engageddomestic received assistance

Albania 2 – airplanes AN-2 2 – helicopters

ArmeniaAzarbedjanBosnia and HrzegovinaBulgaria 1 - Il-76

Croatia4- CL-415

1- AT 6-helicopters (Mi-8)

Greece 23- airplanes18 - helicopters

Macedonia1- airplane (Zlin 242 L)3- airplanes (AN-2)2- helicopters ( Mi-17)1- helicopter ()

2- airplanes ( CL-415, 32)2 – helicopters ( 412 and UH 1D)

RomaniaSerbia 1- Il-76

SloveniaTurkey 20-airplanes

29-helicopters

Ukraine 1-airplane (AN-32)1-helicopter (Mi-2)

Total 27-aireplanes37-helicopters

27-airplanes22-helicopters

Aircrafts engaged - 2007

Equipment and vehicle hazards and control measures

Hand tools

Travel to the job:• Pass tools handle first• Keep 3 meters apart when carrying tools to the task• Carry tools at the balance point of the handle alongside the body with the

blade forward and the cutting edge facing away from the body• Secure tools when transporting

Use the hand tools safely:• Use tools only for their intended purpose• Work at least 3 meters apart• Check your backswing and impact area is clear• Remove overhanging limbs that might interfere when swinging the tool• Be especially careful on hillsides• When not in use, stand the tool upright, with the blade in soil

Fire Management on Terrain Contaminated by Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Land Mines

Special issue

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal protective equipment

Personal protective equipment must protect from:

• Physical injury – scratches, abrasions and direct burns

• Exposure to radiant heat

• Build up of metabolic heat

Clothing for firefighting should include:

• Safety helmet and neck-protecting cloth (also protects from radiant heat)

• Long sleeve thick shirt and long trousers of thick fabric, or fire resistant overalls)

• Leather or other suitable boots with woollen soacks

• Gloves and Googles

The effect of heat on humans

SOME PEOPLE,

EVEN FIREFIGHTERS !!,

BELIEVE THAT

=

NOT

TRUE

Heat Stress – overheating of the body

Physiological facts

• 1°C rise in core body temperature ( to 38ºC)- seeing and hearing are impaired,

• 2°C rise in core body temperature ( to 39-40ºC)- risk of collapse

• 2.5°C rise in core body temperature ( to 39.5-40.5ºC)- 50% of people have impaired thinking

and their speech makes little sense

= ??

DEFINITELY

NOT

TRUE !!!

Emergency situations

Fitness

The risks from various hazards are reduced by personnel having an appropriate level of physical fitness.

The ability to escape from a rapidly approaching fire to a safety zone is also related to fitness.

Միավոր EF1. ԱնվտանգությունEntrapment/burn-over survival actions

These techniques should to only be used as a last resort!

Flame length and safety zone sizes

Note: In the absence of wind and slope influences.

SSD ‐ Safe Separation Distance

SSD = 8 x ∆ x Hveg

As an example, if a firefighter were working on a fire burning in sage brush that was 3ft tall and the proposed safety zone was located in an area with a general slope of15% and the wind speed expected for the upcoming burn period was 10 mph, with theconditions (fuel moisture, relative humidity, air temperature) generally moderate, thevalue for ∆ would be 2. Thus the safety zone should be large enough to provide aminimum separation from sage brush of 8 x 2 x 3 ft = 48 ft. If the vegetation heightwere given as 1 meter than the SSD would be 8 x 2 x 1m = 16 m.

“Watchout - Australian”

“10 Standard Fireorders – USA”

Biological threats

snake snake

bloodsucker

wasp wasp

2017 Asia Forest Fire Management Training Seoul, Republic of Korea, 15-22 October 2017