Holding and Contingencies Instructor:

1. Holding and Contingencies Instructor:

2. OBJECTIVES • Demonstrate and describe how to maintain a fire within an authorized area. • List the four operational phases of a prescribed fire. • Describe what to do when a prescribed fire escapes or burns out of prescription. • Discuss standards for mop up and declaring the fire out.

3. Before Striking that Match! Consider Actions In Each Operational Phase: Planning/Evaluation Ignition/Holding Mop Up Declaring Fire Out

4. Know Recent Fire Behavior! • Always Prepare a Prescribed Burning Plan! During the Planning Phase:

5. Know your area, be familiar with Natural and Manmade barriers e.g., - canals, creeks swamps, streams, etc.

6. KNOW YOUR HOLDING ANDSUPPRESSIONFORCES Fire Flap

7. Backpack Pump

8. OTHER HAND TOOLS AND CREW SKILLS

9. Mobile Attack

10. SUPPRESSION In Florida The TRACTOR/PLOW is the Primary Initial Attack Unit

11. Fire Weather/Environmental Conditions • Fire weather and environmental conditions should be monitored prior to the burn. NOAA and the National Weather Service provide fire weather forecasts, general forecasts, and hydrological information. The Florida Forest Service also provides important information for prescribed burners. Examples from their website follow: • (http://www.floridaforestservice.com/wildfire/information.html) Under “Wildfire Information” current conditions are displayed in map format:

12. “Wildfire Information”Current Conditions

13. ‘Wildland Fire Activity Daily Reports’ under same web page: Wildfire Statistics • Statistics. Important information includes: • “Weather Observations: • Details the weather observations at Florida Forest Service field units at 2:00 pm. • • RH is relative humidity. • Temperature is given at the low and high for that day.

14. • Herb Stage is a measure of how green the vegetation is in that area: 3=green, 2=transition and 1=cured or frost killed.• Buildup is a measure of the drought conditions.• Spread tells us how difficult a fire will be to control due in large part to wind speed. • FRL means Fire Readiness Level; this is a number between 1 and 5. The higher the number, the more severe the fire conditions are in that area.

15. Fire Danger Index (FDI) Report - Jul 05, 2012 (for 11 Florida counties)

16. FIRE READINESS LEVELS • FIRE READINESS LEVEL 1 Little or no fire activity is anticipated. • FIRE READINESS LEVEL 2 Some routine fires anticipated. No more than 50% of resources should be committed. No difficulty expected with control or mop-up. • FIRE READINESS LEVEL 3 Very active fire day anticipated. Fire occurrence above average and difficulty of control expected. May have to commit 80% of resources.

17. FIRE READINESS LEVELS (Cont.) • FIRE READINESS LEVEL 4 Fire situation expected to be difficult. May have fires carrying over from the previous day, new fires starting and most fires difficult to control. All resources likely to be committed and assistance from outside the District may be required.

18. FIRE READINESS LEVELS (Cont.) • FIRE READINESS LEVEL 5 Both fire danger and fire situation extreme. Requirements will exceed District capability. Numerous large fires expected. Difficulty with control and mop-up. Outside help will be required beyond a 24 hour period. Incident command team(s) may be set up.

19. During the Ignition/ Holding Phase: Maintain Situational Awareness

20. Retardant Line Wet Line

22. Identify Special Threats Surface Burn Complete Burn

23. Constantly Evaluate Burning Snags Re-burning Threats to Line Debris Pile Unburned Island

24. Deal With Problems ASAP Smoldering Creeping Running Short Range Spotting

25. Excessive Fire Behavior Or Out of Prescription?1. Put It Out 2. Call FFS 3. Mop Up Long Range Spotting Crown Fire Torching

26. Mop-Up • A black line is a safe line! • Have clean line and burnout adjacent fuels inside the line. • Develop written standards: Refer to Pg 13 Under “Standards and Mop-up activities may include:”

27. Is this a “good” control line?

28. Mop-Up • Fell snags away from the line. Cut open and scatter fire or hot coals. • Expose the bottom surface of logs for hidden fire and hot coals

29. Securing the Control Line Systematic Mop Up: • Start with the hottest area and progress toward the coolest. • Plan a beginning and an ending point. • Work inward from the control line. • Examine the entire assigned area. • For large burns and /or complicated situations, some type of grid system should be implemented.

30. Mop-Up (cont’d) • Kick up and cool the hot spots first with water or dirt. • Be sure to go completely around the edge - head, rear, and flanks, check for logs, stumps, roots and duff pockets.

31. Mop-Up (cont’d) • Be sure to cut off roots that might go under fire line. • Cold trailing is: feeling the ground for subsurface fire (hot spots). • Check for spot fires outside your line.

32. Securing the Control Line Detecting Hot Materials: • Sight • Touch • Smell • Hearing

33. That’s good enough for now. We have important things to get to! 17:00 hrs Leads To What?!? The fire flared up in our mop-up area… But we did a real good job! 24:00 hrs !!! The Difference Counts

34. DevelopWritten Standards (see pg 14 for examples)

35. If Your Fire Escapes!! Stop! and Size Up the Fire

36. Call FFSfor helpsooner ratherthan later Dozer Crew

37. Size Up: • Fuels • Size • Rate of Spread • Hazards/Exposures • Exact Location • Additional Resources Needed

38. Decisions to Make • Where to Attack • How to Attack • Location of Line • Type of Line • Force Needed • Help Needed!!! (Call NOW)

39. Determine Danger Spots • Snags • Fuel Buildup • Swamps

40. Control Line Location • Determine distance in front of fire • Locate this place on the ground. • Avoid dangerous areas • Use areas of easy line construction • Decide where to anchor line (wet area, creek, grade etc.)

41. Questions? BURNER’S PROVERB My fire and my smoke are my problems wherever they go