A wildland firefighter is constantly aware of the wind conditions. Wind, probably more than any other factor, affects the rate of spread, intensity, and the direction of movement of a wildland fire.
But wind can also have a large effect on a structure fire. Traditionally, this topic has not received a great deal of attention in the world of structure fires, however interest seems to be picking up recently.
The U.S. Fire Administration, with several partner organizations, conducted some research on wind driven fires. Here are some excerpts from a report about their findings:
There is uniformity, however, in the physics behind the wind driven fire condition and the principles of the tactics examined. The data from this research will help provide the science to identify methods and promulgation of improved standard operating guidelines for the fire service to enhance firefighter safety, fire ground operations, and use of equipment.
In summary, these experiments demonstrated the hazardous thermal conditions that can be generated by a “simple room and contents” fire and how these conditions can be extended along a flow path within a structure when a wind condition and an open vent are present. Two potential tactics, use of a wind-control device from the floor above the fire and external water application from the floor below the fire, were shown to be effective in reducing the thermal hazard in the corridor.
More information about their findings, and instructions for how to order a DVD about “Evaluating Firefighting Tactics Under Wind Driven Conditions“, can be found HERE. (Link no longer works.)
