Keeping it Fresh: Fire Behaviour Safety Messages During Extended Fire Situations

1
Keeping it Fresh Fire Behaviour Safety Messages
During Extended Fire Situations

• Wildland Fire Safety Summit
• Toronto, Ontario

2
Introduction

• Extended fire situations
• 1998 B.C. August
• 2000 Montana July - September
• 2002 Alberta - June
• 2003 B.C. July - September

3
Information to Firefighters

• SMALL FIRE
• Fire observations
• Info from other firefighters
• Info from Management Unit

• LARGE FIRE
• Fire observations
• Info from other firefighters
• Incident Action Plan
• Radio broadcasts
• Incident Briefings

INFORMATION OVERLOAD!
4
Communication Problems

• Desensitization
• Repetition
• Unreported prediction errors
• Technical jargon

5
Desensitization

• Defn noun a reduction in sensitivity to
  something, esp. through repeated exposure
• Examples
• Gas price goes over 80 for a week or two - 69
  seems very reasonable
• Forest fuel conditions reach and stay at extreme
  levels for an extended period

6
Desensitization
7
August 2 Satellite Pic.
McClure
Strawberry Hills
Kootenay NP
Lost Creek
Farewell Complex
Flathead
8
Repetition

• Similar fire behaviour and safety concerns on
  subsequent days.
• Easiest thing is to leave predictions and safety
  messages the same.
• If you picked up a newspaper and two days in a
  row, it contained the same articles, would you
  buy it the third day?
• Need to reword information, emphasize what is
  important.

9
Repetition

• Similar fire behaviour and safety concerns on
  subsequent days.
• Easiest thing is to leave predictions and safety
  messages the same.
• If you picked up a newspaper and two days in a
  row, it contained the same articles, would you
  buy it the third day?
• Need to reword information, emphasize what is
  important.

10
Unreported Prediction Errors

• Daily, fire behaviour is predicted and
  appropriate safety messages are developed.
• Sometimes, the fire behaviour doesnt occur for a
  variety of reasons, usually weather.
• It is important to verify why the fire behaviour
  did not occur and report back to firefighters why
  it didnt. This improves credibility and
  understanding.

11
Technical Jargon

• The BUI has reached 250 at many stations or, the
  ERC is in the 95 percentile.
• All coarse fuels have dried to the point that
  they will ignite and continue to burn.
• HFI of 6000 kW/m in C-4 fuels.
• Expect extreme intensities in immature jack pine
  with flame lengths of 3-4 meters.

12
Fire Behaviour Analysts

• Someone who can concentrate on fire behaviour
  predictions and observations and related safety
  issues.
• Trained in communications techniques around fire
  behaviour and safety related issues.

13
Conclusion

• The longer an extreme situation continues, the
  harder it is to put out a fire behaviour related
  safety message that will be heeded.
• It is important to get the message out in a
  usable and fresh form to catch the attention of
  firefighters to help ensure their safety.