Urban Wild (Brush) Fire Guidelines

Overview

• This document is intended to define TFD's operational guidelines for fighting urban wild (brush) fires and ensuring these incidents are distinct from wildland fires
• The procedures apply to all TFD personnel involved in wild (brush) fire or wildland fire situations
• This document supersedes all previous versions of this policy.
• TFD-specific information can be found in TFD Policy 5016 (Personal Protective Equipment for Structural Firefighting), TFD Policy 5022 (Rehab at Incidents and Training Exercises), TFD Policy 2020 (Personnel Accountability System), and the TFD Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan

Responsibilities

• The Assistant Chief of Administration, in consultation with the Deputy Chief of Operations, maintains the document
• The Captain of Training ensures the Training Division provides annual instruction to TFD personnel regarding wild (brush) fire behavior, strategy, and tactics
• All TFD uniform personnel are responsible for understanding, executing, and annually reviewing this policy

Definitions

• Ballistic nylon pads are protective pads sewn into work trousers to protect the vulnerable areas of the legs
• Blow up refers to a sudden increase in fire intensity or rate of spread that makes direct control impossible, often accompanied by violent convection and firestorm characteristics
• Brush shirt is a protective wild (brush) firefighting garment designed to protect the upper torso and arms
• Buddy system is a working method where two individuals remain together in positive communication in the hot zone to assist each other
• Heat-related illnesses occur when the body fails to maintain a normal temperature due to excessive heat, resulting in physical reactions from mild to fatal
• Incident Action Plan (IAP) covers all strategic responsibilities, tactical objectives, and support activities needed during the operational period
• Incident Management System (IMS) is a systematic approach to developing a functional incident command organization for single or multi-agency use to enhance command effectiveness and firefighter safety
• Lookout is assigned in wild (brush) fire situations to monitor crew location, escape route security, and safety zone, while also watching for potential problems like fire behavior and air operations
• Mop up is the act of making a wild (brush) fire safe after it is controlled
• Mop up standard is the 100-foot zone along the control line that is thoroughly overhauled and extinguished
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is protective clothing worn by firefighters during structural and wild (brush) fire operations
• PPE includes head protection, upper and lower torso protection, boots, leather gloves, SCBA, and goggles/EMS safety glasses
• Positive communication is a safety guide rope or visual, audible, physical, or electronic means of allowing two-way message generation and reception
• Rehab is a rest and rehabilitation area for personnel at an emergency incident or training exercise
• Risk analysis is the value of what is saved compared to the cost to save it
• Structural firefighting involves rescuing, fire suppression, and property conservation in buildings, structures, vehicles, or vessels involved in a fire or emergency
• Urban Interface Zone (I Zone) is an area where structures and human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels
• Urban wild fire is an uncontained fire requiring suppression action, spreading through ground cover and threatening structures in an urban setting with established access

Rules

• WAC 296-305 is referenced

General Guidelines

• TFD personnel must be appropriately clothed, equipped, and trained to operate as wild (brush) fire firefighters with training commensurate to their position and responsibilities
• The buddy system should be used at all working wild (brush) fire incidents.
• Personnel fighting a wild (brush) fire in structural PPE cannot work more than one hour without rotating for rest and rehab
• An officer must maintain positive communication with anyone assigned an ancillary firefighting task (e.g., scout, incident safety officer, or lookout)

Personal Protective Equipment

• TFD personnel must wear a structural firefighting PPE ensemble while fighting a wild (brush) fire
• Structural firefighting PPE can be modified for wild (brush) firefighting: bunker coats replaced with brush shirts (when available), hoods removed with IC approval, and liners of bunker coats and pants removed with IC approval
• A company with liners removed cannot perform structure fire duty until the liners are replaced, and liners must be replaced before leaving the scene of the brush fire
• All protective clothing and equipment used by TFD personnel must be issued by TFD
• PPE usage, maintenance, and retirement must be in accordance with TFD Policy 5016

Use of Apparatus

• Apparatus must be backed into a site for quick escape
• Apparatus may provide shelter
• The number of personnel assigned to an apparatus cannot exceed the number of seats and seatbelts

Ten Standard Fire Orders

• TFD personnel must know the ten standard fire orders: fight fire aggressively but provide for safety first, initiate actions based on current and expected fire behavior, recognize weather conditions and obtain forecasts, ensure instructions are understood, obtain current information on fire status, remain in communication, determine safety zones and escape routes, establish lookouts, retain control, stay alert, keep calm, think clearly and act decisively

"Watch Out" Situations

• TFD personnel must be aware of and avoid "watch out" situations: fire not scouted/sized up, country not seen in daylight, unidentified safety zones/escape routes, unfamiliar weather and local factors, uninformed on strategy/tactics/hazards, unclear instructions/assignments, no communication, constructing line without a safe anchor point, building fire line downhill, frontal assault, unburned fuel between crew and fire, inability to see main fire or contact someone who can, hillsides where rolling material can ignite fuel below, weather becoming dangerous, frequent spot fires, difficult terrain and fuels for escape, and taking a nap near the fire line

Tragedy Fires

• TFD personnel must be aware of the four common denominators of tragedy fires: small fires or relatively quiet sectors, Light fuels, steep slopes, and changes in wind speed/direction

Heat-related Illness Prevention

• Personnel must have at least one quart per hour of electrolyte drinks or potable water
• Personnel must observe crew members for symptoms of heat-related disorders
• The incident commander must consider the circumstances and make provisions for rest, rehab, and hydration

Chain Saws

• Firefighters using a power chain saw must wear flexible ballistic nylon pads or equivalent protection covering the full length of the thigh to the top of the boot, plus trouser, eye, hearing, face, and head protection
• Chainsaws cannot be used to cut directly overhead or if the operator would need to relinquish a safe grip

Aircraft Operations

• When using fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, personnel trained in air operations management must be assigned by the incident commander/operations section chief
• Prior to air operations, all personnel in close proximity to an air drop must be notified
• Personnel must not intentionally operate where they may be hit by retardants or suppressants from aircraft
• Radio communications must be maintained between aircraft/air attack group supervisor and the appropriate ground officer
• Personnel riding in aircraft must be briefed on approach, riding, and off-loading procedures

Procedures for Fighting Wild (Brush) Fires

• The Incident Commander shall consider each incident's circumstances, including risk analysis, fuel type/size, terrain, weather/time of day, and heat stress index
• Establish IMS to include personnel accountability.
• Ensure that all work crews understand the Incident Action Plan (IAP)
• Crew rotation for rehab is required every hour or less.
• Ensure rehab area is set up as needed.
• Initiate a roll call after a blow up or other catastrophic change in the incident

Incident Safety Officer (ISO)

• The Incident Safety Officer (ISO) is responsible for ensuring a fresh water supply is carried in the Battalion Chief (BC) truck to the incident scene
• Aid in terrain surveying and structure triage
• Verify that a rehab area is established as required

Company Officer

• Operate within trained skills, knowledge, and tools
• Keep self and crew members appropriately attired in department-issued PPE, communicating positively for personnel accountability, and properly hydrated per Heat Stress Index (refer to Safety Policy 5022)

All TFD Personnel

• TFD personnel must be aware of the safety and health of themselves and crew members
• Remain hydrated (minimum of one quart of water per hour)
• Work in teams of two or more