WUI Safety

Firefighter Safety in the Wildland Urban Interface, video based training Lessons Learned Center, Scratchline Issue 19 and 20, Wildland Urban Interface Lessons Learned Center, Incident Toolbox - Structures in the Wildland Wildland Urban Interface Discussion Topics from 6 Minutes for Safety Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG); see pages 11-17 & 30 Fireline Handbook Reducing the Wildland Fire Threat to Homes: Where and How Much? What is the Wildland Fire Threat to Homes? Fire in the Wildland Urban Interface, Florida State powerpoint

Subsequent to the Esperanza Fire fatalities in California, a set of Wildland Urban Interface Operating Principles have been developed by the California Wildland Fire Coordinating Group (CWCG). These principles have not yet been reviewed and endorsed by other geographic areas or NWCG. At this point they should be viewed only as principles and not a policy or standard. However, they are good principles for all of us to consider and compare to WUI operations in our own area.

The nationwide increase in construction of residential homes in the middle of wildland fuels has compromised human safety and altered many of the tactics firefighters carry in their “tool box”. These structures have added complexity to our decisions; and tactics such as “point protection” and “shelter in place” have evolved out of necessity. In a wildland urban interface (WUI) situation the homeowners themselves can be another complex element to be managed.

Because new tactics and procedures are being deployed within this environment, firefighters must be vigilant in keeping abreast of new developments and be able to apply what others have learned. The WFSTAR website, the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center website and the references listed below are great resources to stay up to date.