Burn it up!

How are you doing, friends? I am really happy for things happened last days. Be warned that this is going to be a huge post!

Last time I wrote I told you that we were already in our first burning destination (Bainbridge, GA). Weather was inappropiate for burning and we can't do it for the first three days. On Wednesday, 3rd April, we only met Georgia Forest Commission's crew (our collaborators in these prescribed burns). They showed us the two burn units and we had a great time sharing knowledge. 

This day it started to rain and we were spectating: will we be abble to burn tomorrow? Rain continued for all the night and reached its maximum on the morning, so we were out of the prescription (out of the window). On Thursday, 4th April, we went to GFC's Office and expended the day "preparing" the two burning plans. "Preparing" means that we took a look on the main concerns, on the unit and on the general weather, but we weren't abble to figure out concrectly anythings, because we didn't know the exactly conditions we were going to have two, maybe three days after. Rodney, GFC Chief Ranger in Bainbridge, gave us the opportunity to take a look all over the city from the lookout tower they have close to the Office. It was amazing view!

Weather wasn't expected to change for the next day. We were supossed to change destination on Monday, 8th April, so we didn't want to leave Bainbridge at this time. Finally we decided to take our one-day off (one day off in the whole seasson, we are here for working, learning, teaching, burning and not for doing tourism). It was a really good day with that guys. I am really loving them: great people. We visited Wakulla Springs (close to Wakulla), St. Marks and Oyster Bay. Very nice places. In Wakulla Springs we took the tour and we saw alligators, turtles, manaties and many birds. Oyster Bay was also awesome! Very beautiful bay. And, of course: huge eating in a typical restaurant.

When the day was arriving to the sunset, we realized that weather wasn't going to let us burn (we were really sad), so our great Field Cordinator asked PFTC for alternatives. Gratefully, G. S. (PFTC advisor, very experienced), was kind enough to join us on Saturday for a field learning trip to Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Reserved (managed by The Nature Conservancy, where G. S. used to work).

In that place we learnt many things: fire ecology, main species, concernings on prescribed burns, threatened species, learned lessons, and lots of other interesting things. I was really happy to be there. I would like to remember all G. S. told us, but is going to be hard.

Of course, we emphasiez in Longleaf pine ecology (Pinus palustris). It is a really-full-fire adapted pine. It stays close to the ground for the first between one and three years, it doesn't waste any energy in growing, so it is al the time making strongs roots.

 

During this period it developpes long needles wich cover the apical meristem, protecting it from fire. After this stage, it starts to grow fast without low branches (sometimes without, other times with but soft ones, easy to burn and lose without major injuries).

After this stage it developpes low branches and more meristems, ready to go! All the time needles keep pine safe from fire.

 

In the last days burns I have had the opportunity to take some photos of some of these pines burned, and it is amazing: medium ones can be burned easier than smaller ones (those are more protected). Of course, sometimes fire is too much intense and nothing is useful.

 We also took a look on saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), also adapted to fire. It is kind of a inmortal plant: doesn't die neither because of fire, nor because of dry, bad soil, sand soil, disseases,... It developpes a very stronge root (locally called "gator back", because despite of start deep in the ground, it grows upper and stands horizontally close to the surface; if you are walking is similar to an alligator back) hard to kill; you burn it, and in few days is growing again. All of these, obviously, working together, in a nice kind of ecosystem, with many grasses, shrubs and trees (lots of variability in under-mid and overstory).

 We also had the time to enjoy landscape: very nice! And the best thing: weather was changing and we were going to be abble to burn the next day.

And finally, the next day (Sunday, 7th April) weather allowed us to burn. Great! I will try to make a brief summary of all the burns, includind burn plan (with photos of both, crew's maps and handmades by me), assignements, objectives, concerns, development and learned lessons. And also some learning-useful-interesting-funny photos. So, go ahead!

I want to emphasize somethings about burn plans. Sometimes we think in burn plans as huge documents, full of page, graphs, WX, charts and other stuff. Well, the page's average in our burn plans is four including WX. And briefins are as accurate and useful as any other. One handmade draw, asignements and objectives summarized in two pages of a little notebook are completly useful. And there are not lags in information.

I apologize for all the mistakes in the notes I write in my notebook (with language and other stuff). It is hard to write fast in a non-tongue language while drawing, trying to think in different concerns and being excited for the burn.

I will only summarize the most interesting info, the whole data can be viewed on the photos of my notebook.

BURN UNIT 1 - (no name) - (no date) - Bainbridge, GA
-Size: 59,00ha (145.73ac).
-Fuel model: TU3, SH8 (4 year rough).
-Main winds: SW.
-Concerns: WUI, snakes, bees, mosquitoes, lots of snugs, power line.
-This unit wasn't finally burned because we ran out of time. Maybe, if we have the time, we will return and burn it.
-I first wrote about this unit as "Burn unit 1", so you will realize that the number of the burn is one up to the number of the burn units. I apologize.

BURN UNIT 2 - Martin pasture - 7th, April 2013 - Bainbridge, GA

****BRIEFING
 -Size: 91,01ha (225.00ac).
-Fuel model: mainly TU3, SH8 (3 year rough).
-Main winds: N-NW.
-Objectives: reduce fuels (and hazard) and control hardwood and firefighters safety.
-Concerns: snakes, few snugs.

-Burn boss trainee: Peter Harris.

****DEVELOPMENT
-Test fire in unit 4 (NW corner of the unit); fire behavior favorable.
-Team 1: black line from ECHO to ZULU, 3m wide and using BACKING FIRE. Also STRIP HEADING FIRE every 2 chains (1ch = 66 ft = 22m) in direction E-W. In every joint of each different unit holding and looking fire behavior.
-Team 2: black line from DELTA to ALPHA (passing by CHARLIE) with BACKING FIRE. Then ATV (quad) burning from ECHO to DELTA (solid line). Then burning from CHARLIE to FOXTROT (solid line, burnt as low intensity head fire).
-When those operations were completed: Team 1 burning from ZULU to ALPHA, using STRIP HEADING FIRE built with POINT SOURCE FIRE, because of active fire behavior (as you can see, there are many posibilities with the firing techniques, also you can mix various, the most important is being abble to ADAPT to the changing conditions).
-As you should have realized, burn plan can change between set in Office. Field conditions are variable and we have to let some possibility to change when writting the plan and asking for authorization.
-Collaborators: 1 ATV, 1 person.
 

****DEBRIEFING (ER)
-ICAO code useful.
-Great adaptation by chagin firing techniques when fuels change.
-Need for being faster in preparing gear in the morning.
-Good briefing, good LACES remind.
-Objectives ACHIEVED.

****PHOTOS

And, obiously, dinner and having funny times:

Note: we LOVE safety. We all wear FULL PPE. There are two photos in which we don't wear eye protection: we only took the photo in three seconds and restored FULL PPE wearing. SAFETY FIRST.

The day finished great, tired and hoping next burn


BURN UNIT 3 - (Hongpen pond) - 8th, April 2013 - O'leno State Park, High Springs, FL

****BRIEFING
-Size: 10,93ha (27ac).
-Fuel model: mainly GS4, SH6, SH9.
-Main winds: SE.
-Objectives: increase open areas by 10%, burn with complete combustion >80% of beetle area, top kill 40% of hardwood in zone with DBH < 2,54cm, burn completly 90% of the area and firefighters safety.
-Concerns: Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), Poison ave (Toxicodendron radicans), snakes, alligators.
-Burn boss trainee: Jeremy Bradley.

 

 
****DEVELOPMENT
-Test fire near NW mow line (between ALPHA and DELTA); fire behavior favorable.
-Team 1: black line 5m wide, using BACKING FIRE from ALPHA to BRAVO.
-Team 2: black line 6m wide, using BACKING FIRE and using STRIP HEADING FIRE (first 8m long, spaced 1ch, then 4m long, spaced 1ch) from DELTA to CHARLIE. Intense fire behavior. The same from CHARLIE to BRAVO, generating both, STRIP HEADING FIRE and HEAD FIRE, in direction EW.
-All resources: mopping-up opperations.
-Collaborators: 1 type 6 engine, 1 type 7 engine, 6 people.

I apologize but this day I forgot to charge the battery of my Garmin and I have few GPS data.

****DEBRIEFING
-Provided maps low quality.
-Great job burning a unit never seen before.
-Great collaboration and coordination.
-Perfect adaptation of firing techniques: when strip heading fire was dangerous for firefighters we changed to doing strips only firing when returning from inside the unit to the trail, and also with dots if neccesary.
-Need to figure out mop up operations before, in breafing.
-Objectives ACHIEVED.

****PHOTOS

Perfect example of BACKING FIRE. Wind direction is to the right of the photo (you can see inclined flames and smoke) but fire is advancing in the opposite direction, slowly:

 Changes in fire behavoir (require adapting firing techniques):

  Strip heading fire (variant: only fire when returning):

And: objectives achieved:

BURN UNIT 4 - (ol-1C) - 9th, April 2013 - O'leno State Park, High Springs, FL

****BRIEFING
-Size: 56,68ha (140.00ac).
-Fuel model: mainly TU1, TL6, SH8 (3-4 year rough).
-Main winds: SE, expected wind shift to E at 1500.
-Objectives: increase open areas by 10%, burn with complete combustion >80% of beetle area, top kill 40% of hardwood in zone with DBH < 2,54cm, burn completly 90% of the area and firefighters safety.
-Concerns: Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), Poison ave (Toxicodendron radicans), snakes, alligators, sinkholes.
-Burn boss trainee: Peter Harris.

We request the National Weather Service Forescast Office for a Spot Forecast:

****DEVELOPMENT
-Test fire in ALPHA (NW corner); fire behavior favorable.
-Team 1: black line from ALPHA to BRAVO, using BACKING FIRE and STRIP HEADING FIRE when low intensity occured.
-Team 2: black line from DELTA to BRAVO, first using unsuccesfull BACKING FIRE, then with very close strips (STRIP HEADING FIRE), then wider ones (when fire intisity increased). Also from CHARLIE to BRAVO, STRIP HEADING FIRE with longer strips, trying to push fire to North. Wind swifted and we pushed a HEAD FIRE in direction EW.
-It was necessary burning some unburned acres between ALPHA and DELTA.
-All resources: mopping-up opperations.
-Collaborators: 1 type 6 engine, 1 type 7 engine, 6 people.

You can see the walk inside the burn unit, meaning that we needed to fix some unburned areas:

****DEBRIEFING
-Being flexible, adapting firing techniques.
-Working with many smoke.
-Holding when wind swifts.
-Not smoke in the Highway.
-Applied learned lessons.
-Objectives ACHIEVED.

****PHOTOS

Improvisation and optimization of resources:

We expected to use AERIAL IGNITION, finally wasn't neccesary:

  

I love that guys:

 

I think that's enough for now. The next post will be about our last burns in Lakeland, GA. Hope you enjoy and learn as much as I am doing. Thank you very much for your time.

Photo: Jesse Haurey - Redmon SmokeJumpers

PFTC, Tallahassee

Here we are, in a new stage of my american learning experience!

Last saturday Mike drove me (thank you very much again, you are a great guy) from Gainesville to Tallahassee (Florida State's capitol) for join the PFTC. The PFTC is the National Interagency Prescribed Fire Training Center (http://www.fws.gov/fire/pftc/), where fire crew uses to get trained in prescribed burning. I am here to take the 20-day learning course, wich consists in having three teorical classes, sixteen practical classes and one debriefing class. So, you learn about fire, you "do" fire. We are going to be burning arround the southern states (mainly Georgia and Florida) with local collaboration crew (Forest Service, Prescibed burning Councils, Local Service Organizations,...). That's a perfect opportunity for learning how to do prescribed burns and also to improve my knowledge about how fire behaves (usefl for fire supression). Also I have met great people here, full of experience and very intelligent.

 The first day I got trained in fireshelter deployment and I met the teamleaders and some PFTC staff. For the next three days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and today, Wednesday) I met the other students and we got started in teorical leassons. Many people come to teach us, from the Florida Patrol Office, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlive Service and other organizations. Great speakers! We also went into a field trip on Monday (half-day) and yesterday (full-day field trip).

The Monday field trip was to in the Apalichola National Forest, near Tallahassee, FL. There we learnt about the local vegetation and how it changes within different factors. Really interesting lesson. Hot and humid day!

Yesterday we went to the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, at Ichauway (http://www.jonesctr.org/) near Newton, GA. There we learn about the prescribed fire in southern USA, and how they use it in the Research Center for many things. As you know, prescribed fire has lots of benefits: maintains healthy forests, mitigates wildifre risks, maintains quality wildlife habitats, improves stand access and aesthetics, prepares sites for both natural and artificial reforestation, controls trees diseases, controls insects, effectively manages fuels in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), perpetuates fire dependent ecosystems and associated species, and many other things. So, as you have seen: it's great! Even though, obiously, it is needed an experienced crew, with high both, fire behavoir and ecosystem/ecological knowledge, experience level.

That woman should wear hardhat... Where is it? Please wear full PPE!

Today we have been doing a sandtable exercise and then we have travelled to our first burning destination. We are in two teams, mine has eight people, and we are now in Bainbridge, GA. We expected to start burns tomorrow, but here it is raining, so we have to wait. Tomorrow we will write the burn plan and take a look over the burn unit and other things. I am really excited.

Firs american burn!

Hello again friends!

Last Friday (two days ago) I was in my first american prescribed burn. Here in the US they use a certification system. This means that if you want to be officially qualified for doing a certain job, you must pass both theory and practical test, and also you have to prove a certain level of experience. For example for being a concret type of firefighter, a certified burner, for using chanisaw, EMT,... And it is not only one test, once in your life. Every year (or every given time) you must reprove your knowledge. So, this burn was the certification burn for Leland, a Prof. L. K's former student.

If you want to learn more: http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/docs/pms310-1.pdf

We met him in the field, exactly in Austin Carey's Memorial Forest (do you remember? The University of Florida owned forest, for teaching and researching). The burn crew consisted on UF's students, Prof. L K, Adam (as student's advisors), a Florida Forest Service's Officer (the person who had to certify Leland), some fire supression crew (St. Johns River Water Management District's engineand) and me (as Adam now calls me "El Toro del Fuego Merenciano", haha, great guy Adam!). We took a look at the burn unit, for knowing where we were going to work, and waited for the people. The unit was already prepared with the necessary plow lines.

When all of them were there, Leland did the briefing. I think it was the better fire-related briefing in my life: he did a perfect explaining of his burn plan, he figured out how was going to be developped the burn and assigned crew for all the works to do. In my opinion all the people there had perfectly clear what was going to occur and how we were going to do that. Honestly: perfect briefing. He also gave time for asking and encouraged people to participate. Some students gave us a little wheater update and then we finished the briefing.

After briefing all the people went to the ignition place for doing the test burn. All was OK and Leland ordered to start the burn. We worked in six groups (other thing admirable of Leland was the great job managing 30 people in a single burn, hard job): Ignition 1, Holding 1, Ignition 2, Holding 2, Wheater and Safety Officer. Of course, all of that coordinated by The Burn Boss.

We did the black line downwind with backfire (starting with some spots and then closing the non-burned holes). When that was finished we continued with a point source fires (spot fire), putting a fire spot every 8m (25 feet) and in lines separateds for a half chain. Leland noted that all was OK and allowed the change to strip-heading fire. All absolutelly checked. All the people did different works: who started as Ignition crew, then changed to Holding crew and vice versa.

The burn was a total success. The unit burned all under control, without spottings out of it and getting the expected result. So, congratulations Leland for a sure deserved certification: PERFECT JOB.

GPS data from my Garmin:

And two Merenciano's photos:

Believe it or not: its me!

I'll try to update as soon as possible. Thank you very much for following me in that great experience!