Fuels and fire behavior advisory for California

The following advisory for California was issued by “Predictive Services” today:

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Predictive ServicesFuels and Fire Behavior Advisory

California*

June 10, 2013

Subject:  Low live and dead fuel moistures, along with persistent drought have created the potential for active to extreme fire behavior in many parts of the state.

Discussion:  All of California is experiencing drought conditions. Effects of lower than normal live and dead fuel moistures and observed fire behavior for 2013 are the focus of this advisory.

Difference From Normal Conditions:  Drought conditions ranging from abnormally dry to severe exist across California.  The drought is expected to persist or intensify.  The entire state is deficient in rainfall and snow pack, resulting in fuels that are 4-8 weeks ahead of normal drying/curing rates.

Concerns to Firefighters:

  • Energy Release Component (ERC) at numerous weather stations set record highs already this year and running well above normal in most cases.  Expect increased fire intensity and spread rates in these areas.  Early season extreme fire behavior has been observed in both light and heavy fuels.  Anticipate increased spread rates, spotting, and active night time burning.
  • The combination of persistent drought and record-low rainfall and snowpack amounts has led to very low live and dead fuel moistures. Low 1000-hour fuel moistures have been evidenced by complete consumption of dead fuels on several recent fires.  Live fuel moistures have already reached critical levels in many areas especially in Southern California.  Expect fires to ignite easier and spread faster. Anticipate higher resistance to control in all fuel types.
  • Excessively dry fuels and receptive fuel beds are resulting in fire behavior that is not deterred by what firefighters would consider normal barriers.  Be mindful of what you use as a barrier or safety zone.
  • Fires are burning actively even under conditions of high relative humidity.  Already this year, California has experienced large fire activity and multiple team deployments.  California will likely experience an extended fire season.  It is important to be mindful of and manage fatigue for all resources.

Everyone, every day, returns home safely.

Mitigation Measures:

  • Local and inbound fire personnel need to be aware that fire behavior across the state is exceeding normal expectations for this time of the year. Local briefings need to be thorough and highlight specific fire environment conditions.  These include but are not limited to local weather forecasts, Pocket Cards, ERC’s, live and dead fuel moistures, and special fuel conditions such as mortality, Sudden Oak Death and frost killed brush, etc.
  • Suppression actions need to be based on good anchor points, escape routes, and safety zones. Remember LCES.  Experienced lookouts are essential under these conditions.
  • Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire. Augment initial attack resources as incident activity dictates.
  • Review the most current Northern and Southern California 7-day Significant Fire Potential along with Daily, Monthly and Seasonal Outlooks at: http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/outlooks/outlooks.htm

*Area of Concern:  The area of concern is the State of California with the exception of 3 Northern California Predictive Service Areas: North Coast, Northeastern, and Eastside.  A map showing the areas of concern described in this advisory can be found at: National Fuel Advisories

Issued: June 10, 2013   (Note this advisory will be in effect for 14 days and will be reviewed/updated at that time.

“Everyone goes home” – stories from Storm King Mountain

Every wildland firefighter should see this video.

It includes numerous interviews of wildland firefighters who were involved with, or were on scene during the entrapment and deaths of 14 firefighters on the 1994 South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain in Colorado.

With criminal charges being thrown around following mistakes made on fires in recent years, it is extraordinary to see firefighters speak so freely about a disaster that occurred on a wildland fire. The people being interviewed deserve a great deal of credit and praise for their participation.

Some of the opportunities for lessons learned include:

  • You are responsible for your own safety.
  • Take care of your fellow firefighters.
  • If you see something, say something.
  • Question decisions if they have the potential to adversely affect your safety.
  • Downhill line construction can be very dangerous.
  • Be a student of fire.
  • Know your fire orders, fire situations, and LCES (lookouts, communications, escape routes, and safety zones).
  • Maintain situational awareness. Trust your instincts and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
  • Leadership and safety start at the ground level.

There were other lessons learned as well. What stood out to you?

None of this is earthshakingly new information. Experienced firefighters have heard it all before, but not necessarily from people who know very intimately WHY it is important.

The more you are exposed to this hard-earned knowledge, especially when it comes from survivors, it may actually stick. And new firefighters can’t hear it enough.

The firefighters who died on the South Canyon fire were:

  • Prineville Hotshots: Kathi Beck, Tamera Bickett, Scott Blecha, Levi Brinkley, Douglas Dunbar, Terri Hagen, Bonnie Holtby, Rob Johnson, Jon Kelso.
  • Missoula Smokejumper: Don Mackey
  • McCall Smokejumpers: Roger Roth, Jim Thrash.
  • Helitack: Robert Browning, Jr., Richard Tyler.

The video is available at YouTube, and can be downloaded at Everyone Goes Home.

Interviewees South Canyon Fire
A screen grab from the video, showing some of the people featured in interviews.

More information about the South Canyon Fire:

Report released on prescribed fire burn injury

Burned pantsA Lessons Learned report has been released for a serious burn injury that occurred on the Saddle Salvage Natural Fuels burn unit, a prescribed fire somewhere in the Northwest. Oddly, neither the agency or even the state were identified, but the injured firefighter was eventually transferred to Harborview Burn Center in Seattle.

Briefly, a firefighter’s Nomex pants caught fire while he was using a drip torch to ignite vegetation during a black-lining operation. He suffered second and third degree burns over 20‐25% of his body, both legs and the left hand. He spent five weeks at the burn center but is now back to work on light duty. A full recovery is expected.

The report found that the management of the response to the injury went very well. Quite a bit went right.

A lab analysis of the protective clothing worn by the victim indicated that fuel was present on his pants and boots. Some of the fuel may have been deposited onto the clothing the previous day during ignition operations. Nomex contaminated with torch fuel is flammable even with small amounts of fuel and a low ratio of gas to diesel (1:5 gas to diesel) mixture.

The drip torch was inspected later at the Missoula Technology Development Center. Investigators found that the breather (vent) tube was in the torch but not attached to the breather tube screw. If the breather tube was disconnected from the breather tube screw during use, and the breather screw was open, fuel would drip from the screw.

A lab analysis of the drip torch fuel mix was completed. The analyzed torch fuel was not drawn from the injured employee’s torch, but did come from another torch that was used on the burn unit. Investigators concluded that the fuel was approximately a 1:1 gas/diesel mixture, which is a much higher concentration of gasoline than is specified in the U.S. Forest Service Health and Safety Code Handbook.

OSHA issues citation for firefighter fatality on Steep Corner Fire

(Originally posted at 2:00 p.m. MT, Feb. 12, 2013; updated at 5:44 p.m. MT.)

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a citation related to the fatality of Anne Veseth, a 20-year-old U.S. Forest Service firefighter from Moscow, Idaho who was killed August 12, 2012 while working on the Steep Corner Fire near Orofino, Idaho. The citation was issued to the organization managing the fire, the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association (CPTPA). The citation comes with a “Notification of Penalty”, fines totaling $14,000.

OSHA also issued a Notice of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions to the U.S. Forest Service, but without a monetary penalty.

Ms. Veseth was killed by a falling tree, when one tree fell and crashed into another tree, causing it to fall in a domino effect. The day before she was killed, the Flathead Hotshots arrived at the fire, and after scouting it and assessing the situation, they concluded it was not safe to work under the conditions that were present. Then they left the fire after talking with the incident commander. Three days later they filed a SAFENET report, documenting the unsafe conditions at the fire.

The Citation for the CPTPA and the Notice for the USFS were both dated February 7, 2013.

The CPTPA citation was for the following:

  • Serious violation: For not providing a safe working environment; 8 of the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders were violated, and they did not mitigate 11 of the 18 Watch Out Situations. Proposed penalty: $4,900.
  • Serious violation: employees engaged in wildland firefighting were exposed to being struck by hazard trees while constructing fire line.  Proposed penalty: $4,900.
  • Serious violation: Firefighters constructing direct fire line did not have fire shelters readily available. Firefighters constructing fire line were wearing denim and work pants not rated as fire resistant. Proposed penalty: $4,200.

The U.S. Forest Service Notice of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions was for the following:

  • Serious Violation: 7 of the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders were violated,  and they did not mitigate 9 of the 18 Watch Out Situations.
  • Repeat Violation: employees engaged in wildland firefighting were exposed to being struck by hazard trees while constructing fire line.

If the violations are not contested they must be abated by various dates in March, 2013, and the fine must be paid within 15 working days.

Video: personal protective equipment

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The National Interagency Fire Center has released a video about the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) on a wildland fire. It features Bob Knutson, the state safety manager for the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada. He points out that there have been a number of burn injuries over the last few years that have a common denominator — the lack of PPE or the inappropriate use of PPE.

One thing missing from the video was the use of PPE that is seldom washed and is so contaminated with chain saw oil or other filth that it is no longer fire resistant.

Powerline training for wildland firefighters

The Salt River Project, an Arizona utility company, collaborated with the Coconino National Forest to produce the training video below that discusses dangers and safety practices for wildland firefighters working near powerlines. The Missoula Technology Development Center reviewed the video and found it suitable for training wildland firefighters.

The video explains:

  • The roles and responsibilities of the utility company.
  • How water, foam, retardant, or smoke can conduct electricity to the ground or across powerlines.
  • Aircraft safety near powerlines.
  • The difference between “step potential” and “touch potential” and how to respond accordingly.
  • How to safely exit and move away from a vehicle energized by a downed powerline.

U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management employees can access the video on the internal Forest Service network at http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/programs/fire/video/safety.htm