Keeping it Fresh Fire Behaviour Safety Messages During

Keeping it Fresh: Fire Behaviour Safety Messages During Extended Fire Situations Wildland Fire Safety Summit Toronto, Ontario

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

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!

Communication Problems • • Desensitization Repetition Unreported prediction errors Technical jargon

Desensitization • Def’n: 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

Desensitization

August 2 Satellite Pic. Mc. Clure Strawberry Hills Kootenay NP Lost Creek Farewell Complex Flathead

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.

Unreported Prediction Errors • Daily, fire behaviour is predicted and appropriate safety messages are developed. • Sometimes, the fire behaviour doesn’t 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 didn’t. This improves credibility and understanding.

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 k. W/m in C-4 fuels. • Expect extreme intensities in immature jack pine with flame lengths of 3 -4 meters.

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.

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.