Fire Behaviour
What does the S stand for in the fuel types S1, S2 and S3?
Slash
What is the minimum safe distance away from an active falling operation?
Two tree lengths
How many of the four major weather factors that impact fire behaviour are likely to be impacted by climate change?
What is the worst year for fire on record in BC, in terms of total hectares burned?
2023
What part of a building is most vulnerable to wildfire?
The roof
What is conduction, and why is it the least important method of heat transfer in a wildfire context?
Conduction is the transfer of heat through solid matter, and is the least important in wildfire terms because wood is a poor conductor of heat
When is access to a helicopter considered to be an acceptable escape route?
Never
Which wildfire fuel characteristic is most impacted by climate change?
Which fire zone in BC has had the largest number of historical fires?
Fort Nelson
What is the most common way for wildfire to ignite a structure?
Embers falling on buildings
What is the intensity threshold for a Fire Behaviour Advisory to be issued for a given fuel type?
Forecasted intensities above class 4
How often are lookouts required to update their supervisor on current fire conditions?
Hourly at a minimum
What 1999-2015 climate change induced event created problematic fuel conditions across many forested areas in BC?
The mountain pine beetle outbreak
What percentage of fires that have occurred in BC were ignited by natural causes?
60%
Which type of vent on a house should never be screened?
Dryer vent
What is the expected energy output for a fire burning at Intensity Class 6?
> 10,000 Kilowatts per minute
What responsibility do supervisors or dispatchers have when transmitting a Weather Warning or Extreme Fire Behaviour Warning to personnel?
They must obtain acknowledgement of the warning from all intended recipients
Climate change is causing higher average air temperatures globally, and warmer air holds more moisture. Explain why this phenomenon could lead to more wildfire ignitions
Thunderstorms are produced when moist air rises in the atmosphere; more moisture in the air means more lightning
Why is a Pulaski called a Pulaski?
Ed Pulaski was a U.S. Forest Service Ranger and Wildland Firefighter credited with inventing the tool
Fires produce three sources of ignition, what are they?
Direct flame contact
Radiant Heat
Embers
What is moisture of extinction?
The fuel moisture content at which a fire will not spread, or will spread only sporadically
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, what are the three rights/responsibilities that workers have in Canada?
- The right to know (About health and safety)
- The right to participate (In decisions that may impact health and safety)
- The right to refuse unsafe work
Explain why large and intense wildfires and climate change produce a positive feedback loop
Large amounts of carbon is stored in wildland fuels, and when these fuels burn, they release carbon dioxide, which further contributes to climate change, which causes larger and more intense wildfires, and so on
In what year was Vancouver nearly completely destroyed by a wildfire?
1886
Immediate zone - 0-1.5 m
Intermediate zone - 1.5-10 m
Extended zone - 10-30 m