S-130 WILDLAND COMMUNICATION,
SUPPRESSION, AND MOP UP
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
Variables ddto ddConsider ddWhen ddDeciding ddTactics dd- ddANS-When dddeciding ddthe
ddtactics ddto dduse ddin dda ddparticular ddsituation, ddCommand ddwill ddtake ddinto ddaccount:
Actual ddor ddpotential ddlife ddhazards
Exposures—threatened ddproperty ddor ddresources
Fuel ddtypes, ddmoisture, ddcontinuity, ddand ddarrangement
Current ddand ddexpected ddweather, ddincluding ddtemperature ddand ddespecially ddwind
Topography
Anchor ddpoints
Direct ddAttack dd- ddANS-In dda dddirect ddattack, ddthe ddIC dddetermines ddif ddpersonnel
ddand ddresources ddcan ddsafely ddwork ddagainst ddthe ddflames dddirectly.
One ddof ddthe ddprimary dddetermining ddfactors ddin dddirect ddattack ddis ddflame ddlengths.
ddNormally, ddflame ddlengths ddof ddless ddthan dd4 ddfeet dd(1.2 ddm) ddcan ddbe ddfought
dddirectly ddwith ddhand ddtools ddand ddhandlines. ddWhen ddworking ddin ddthis ddmanner,
ddkeep ddone ddfoot ddin ddthe ddblack ddand ddone ddfoot ddin ddthe ddunburned ddarea.
ddFlames ddup ddto dd8 ddfeet dd(2.4 ddmeters) ddrequire ddheavy ddequipment ddor ddairdrops.
Some ddcommon dddirect ddattack ddtechniques ddinclude:
- ddSmothering ddor ddremoving ddfuel ddwith ddhand ddtools
- ddSpraying ddwater ddin ddstationary ddor ddmobile ddattack
Indirect ddAttack dd- ddANS-When ddflame ddlengths ddexceed dd8 ddfeet dd(2.4 ddmeters),
dddirect ddattack ddof ddany ddkind ddbecomes ddimpractical. ddIn ddthis ddsituation, ddindirect
ddattack ddis ddthe ddonly ddoption.
Indirect ddattack ddrequires ddfirefighters ddto ddbuild ddcontrol ddlines, ddeither ddby ddhand,
ddwith ddmechanized ddequipment, ddwith ddwater dd(wet ddline), ddor ddby ddusing ddexisting
ddnatural ddor ddman-made ddbarriers. ddYou ddthen ddburnout ddor ddbackfire ddfuels
ddbetween ddthe ddcontrol ddline ddand ddthe ddoncoming ddfire ddedge. ddOn ddlarge
ddincidents, ddyou ddmay ddbe ddmiles ddfrom ddthe ddactual ddfire ddedge. ddOn ddsmaller
ddincidents, ddyou ddmay ddbe ddvery ddclose ddto ddthe ddflame ddfront.
, Flank ddAttack dd- ddANS-Another ddtactic ddfor ddfighting ddwildland ddfires ddis ddthe ddflank
ddattack, ddalso ddreferred ddto ddas dda ddflanking ddattack ddor ddflanking ddthe ddfire. ddThe
ddflank ddattack ddis ddused ddfor ddmoderately ddintense ddfires ddmoving ddat dda ddmoderate
ddrate ddof ddspread dd(ROS).
Here's ddthe ddskinny ddon ddflank ddattacks:
Start dda ddflank ddattack ddat dda ddsecure ddanchor ddpoint ddon ddone ddor ddboth ddflanks
ddof dda ddfire, ddand ddwork ddtoward ddthe ddhead.
Attack ddthe ddflanks dddirectly ddor ddindirectly—the dddistance ddof ddthe ddcontrol ddline
ddfrom ddthe ddfire ddedge ddusually dddepends ddon ddfire ddintensity
Attack ddthe ddflanks ddsimultaneously ddor ddsuccessively, dddepending ddon ddfire
ddconditions ddand ddresources ddavailable
Aircraft ddcan ddbe ddone ddof ddthe ddflank-attack ddresources ddwhen ddnecessary
Parallel ddAttack dd- ddANS-A ddcontrol ddline ddis ddconstructed ddas ddnear ddto ddthe ddfire's
ddedge ddas ddpossible ddwhile ddstill ddallowing ddenough ddtime ddto ddcomplete ddthe ddline
ddbefore ddthe ddfire ddfront ddarrives. ddFor ddthis ddreason, ddparallel ddattacks ddoften
ddemploy ddmechanized ddequipment, ddsuch ddas ddtractor-plows ddand ddbulldozers,
ddbecause ddthe ddline ddcan ddbe ddconstructed ddmore ddquickly.
The ddparallel ddattack ddis ddsimilar ddto ddan ddindirect ddattack, ddbut ddthe ddcontrol ddline
ddis ddconstructed ddmuch ddcloser ddto ddthe ddfire's ddedge, ddusually ddwithin dd100 ddfeet
dd(30 ddm). ddThe ddarea ddsacrificed ddto ddthe ddfire ddis ddsmaller ddthan ddin ddan ddindirect
ddattack.
A ddparallel ddattack ddreduces ddthe ddlabor ddof ddhand ddcrews ddbecause dda ddline ddcan
ddbe ddconstructed ddstraight ddacross ddindentations ddof ddthe ddfire ddfront, ddthus
ddshortening ddthe ddline. ddWhen ddperforming dda ddparallel ddattack, ddthe ddarea
ddbetween ddthe ddcontrol ddline ddand ddthe ddfire ddis ddusually ddburned ddout ddas ddthe
ddwork ddprogresses, ddor ddfirefighters ddpatrol ddthe ddline ddto ddensure ddthat ddit ddis ddnot
ddbreached ddwhen ddthe ddmain ddfire ddreaches ddit.
Use dda ddparallel ddattack:
Whenever dda ddfire ddis ddtoo ddintense ddfor dddirect ddattack
When dda ddfire's ddedge ddis ddso ddirregular ddthat dddirect ddattack ddwould ddresult ddin ddan
ddexcessively ddlong ddcontrol ddline
To ddkeep ddthe ddfire ddaway ddfrom ddheavy ddfuels
To ddencircle ddspot ddfires
Hot ddSpotting dd- ddANS-Hotspotting ddinvolves ddmaking dda ddrapid ddattack ddon ddthe
ddhot-burning ddpoints ddof dda ddfire's ddedge, ddsuch ddas ddrapidly dddeveloping ddfingers
ddor ddother ddactive ddparts ddof dda ddfire ddthat ddare ddthreatening ddlife ddor ddhigh-value
ddproperty.
dd
SUPPRESSION, AND MOP UP
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
Variables ddto ddConsider ddWhen ddDeciding ddTactics dd- ddANS-When dddeciding ddthe
ddtactics ddto dduse ddin dda ddparticular ddsituation, ddCommand ddwill ddtake ddinto ddaccount:
Actual ddor ddpotential ddlife ddhazards
Exposures—threatened ddproperty ddor ddresources
Fuel ddtypes, ddmoisture, ddcontinuity, ddand ddarrangement
Current ddand ddexpected ddweather, ddincluding ddtemperature ddand ddespecially ddwind
Topography
Anchor ddpoints
Direct ddAttack dd- ddANS-In dda dddirect ddattack, ddthe ddIC dddetermines ddif ddpersonnel
ddand ddresources ddcan ddsafely ddwork ddagainst ddthe ddflames dddirectly.
One ddof ddthe ddprimary dddetermining ddfactors ddin dddirect ddattack ddis ddflame ddlengths.
ddNormally, ddflame ddlengths ddof ddless ddthan dd4 ddfeet dd(1.2 ddm) ddcan ddbe ddfought
dddirectly ddwith ddhand ddtools ddand ddhandlines. ddWhen ddworking ddin ddthis ddmanner,
ddkeep ddone ddfoot ddin ddthe ddblack ddand ddone ddfoot ddin ddthe ddunburned ddarea.
ddFlames ddup ddto dd8 ddfeet dd(2.4 ddmeters) ddrequire ddheavy ddequipment ddor ddairdrops.
Some ddcommon dddirect ddattack ddtechniques ddinclude:
- ddSmothering ddor ddremoving ddfuel ddwith ddhand ddtools
- ddSpraying ddwater ddin ddstationary ddor ddmobile ddattack
Indirect ddAttack dd- ddANS-When ddflame ddlengths ddexceed dd8 ddfeet dd(2.4 ddmeters),
dddirect ddattack ddof ddany ddkind ddbecomes ddimpractical. ddIn ddthis ddsituation, ddindirect
ddattack ddis ddthe ddonly ddoption.
Indirect ddattack ddrequires ddfirefighters ddto ddbuild ddcontrol ddlines, ddeither ddby ddhand,
ddwith ddmechanized ddequipment, ddwith ddwater dd(wet ddline), ddor ddby ddusing ddexisting
ddnatural ddor ddman-made ddbarriers. ddYou ddthen ddburnout ddor ddbackfire ddfuels
ddbetween ddthe ddcontrol ddline ddand ddthe ddoncoming ddfire ddedge. ddOn ddlarge
ddincidents, ddyou ddmay ddbe ddmiles ddfrom ddthe ddactual ddfire ddedge. ddOn ddsmaller
ddincidents, ddyou ddmay ddbe ddvery ddclose ddto ddthe ddflame ddfront.
, Flank ddAttack dd- ddANS-Another ddtactic ddfor ddfighting ddwildland ddfires ddis ddthe ddflank
ddattack, ddalso ddreferred ddto ddas dda ddflanking ddattack ddor ddflanking ddthe ddfire. ddThe
ddflank ddattack ddis ddused ddfor ddmoderately ddintense ddfires ddmoving ddat dda ddmoderate
ddrate ddof ddspread dd(ROS).
Here's ddthe ddskinny ddon ddflank ddattacks:
Start dda ddflank ddattack ddat dda ddsecure ddanchor ddpoint ddon ddone ddor ddboth ddflanks
ddof dda ddfire, ddand ddwork ddtoward ddthe ddhead.
Attack ddthe ddflanks dddirectly ddor ddindirectly—the dddistance ddof ddthe ddcontrol ddline
ddfrom ddthe ddfire ddedge ddusually dddepends ddon ddfire ddintensity
Attack ddthe ddflanks ddsimultaneously ddor ddsuccessively, dddepending ddon ddfire
ddconditions ddand ddresources ddavailable
Aircraft ddcan ddbe ddone ddof ddthe ddflank-attack ddresources ddwhen ddnecessary
Parallel ddAttack dd- ddANS-A ddcontrol ddline ddis ddconstructed ddas ddnear ddto ddthe ddfire's
ddedge ddas ddpossible ddwhile ddstill ddallowing ddenough ddtime ddto ddcomplete ddthe ddline
ddbefore ddthe ddfire ddfront ddarrives. ddFor ddthis ddreason, ddparallel ddattacks ddoften
ddemploy ddmechanized ddequipment, ddsuch ddas ddtractor-plows ddand ddbulldozers,
ddbecause ddthe ddline ddcan ddbe ddconstructed ddmore ddquickly.
The ddparallel ddattack ddis ddsimilar ddto ddan ddindirect ddattack, ddbut ddthe ddcontrol ddline
ddis ddconstructed ddmuch ddcloser ddto ddthe ddfire's ddedge, ddusually ddwithin dd100 ddfeet
dd(30 ddm). ddThe ddarea ddsacrificed ddto ddthe ddfire ddis ddsmaller ddthan ddin ddan ddindirect
ddattack.
A ddparallel ddattack ddreduces ddthe ddlabor ddof ddhand ddcrews ddbecause dda ddline ddcan
ddbe ddconstructed ddstraight ddacross ddindentations ddof ddthe ddfire ddfront, ddthus
ddshortening ddthe ddline. ddWhen ddperforming dda ddparallel ddattack, ddthe ddarea
ddbetween ddthe ddcontrol ddline ddand ddthe ddfire ddis ddusually ddburned ddout ddas ddthe
ddwork ddprogresses, ddor ddfirefighters ddpatrol ddthe ddline ddto ddensure ddthat ddit ddis ddnot
ddbreached ddwhen ddthe ddmain ddfire ddreaches ddit.
Use dda ddparallel ddattack:
Whenever dda ddfire ddis ddtoo ddintense ddfor dddirect ddattack
When dda ddfire's ddedge ddis ddso ddirregular ddthat dddirect ddattack ddwould ddresult ddin ddan
ddexcessively ddlong ddcontrol ddline
To ddkeep ddthe ddfire ddaway ddfrom ddheavy ddfuels
To ddencircle ddspot ddfires
Hot ddSpotting dd- ddANS-Hotspotting ddinvolves ddmaking dda ddrapid ddattack ddon ddthe
ddhot-burning ddpoints ddof dda ddfire's ddedge, ddsuch ddas ddrapidly dddeveloping ddfingers
ddor ddother ddactive ddparts ddof dda ddfire ddthat ddare ddthreatening ddlife ddor ddhigh-value
ddproperty.
dd
