Contents
Controlling Plants with Fire
The use of prescribed fires to control weeds and woody vegetation, improve forage health, manipulate wildlife habitat, and reduce fire-prone vegetation is well established. Revegetation projects can benefit from the use of fire alone or in combination with mechanical or chemical treatments. Prescribed burning implies the use of stated goals and a well thought-out fire plan using recommended equipment and burning techniques. Consideration must be given to weather, vegetation, topography, and other variables. Fire can be a very cost-effective treatment and can cover large areas of varied terrain in a short time span if sufficient fine fuel is present. Burning treatments will be spotty if the fuel load is limited. Forage production and palatability is usually increased following a burn. Seeding may also be conducted following a burn. Erosion can be a problem following a fire. Escapes from planned burns present a real hazard; therefore, trained personnel and wise judgment are vital to successful prescribed fires.
Ground Equipment
Aerial Ignition Systems
Drip Torch
Helitorches
Weather Instruments
Plastic Sphere Dispenser
Hand Tools
Additional Burning Information
Pump Trucks
Top of Page
Ground Equipment
Description
Drip torches are used to ignite the fire front. They consist of a 5-quart-capacity fuel reservoir, a valve to control flow, and a tube to deliver fuel to the igniter. The igniter serves as a continuous flame to ignite drops of fuel which fall to the herbaceous vegetation as the drip torch is tilted toward the ground. Torches are also available that are pressured, carried as backpack units, or mounted on ATVs.
Application
Drip torches use a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline to supply a steady stream of ignited fuel. A ratio of 70% diesel to 30% gasoline is a rule-of-thumb for warm weather and 60 : 40 ratio is recommended for cool weather. The higher the air temperature the less gasoline is needed. To be safe, it is advisable to use the minimum amount of gasoline for proper operation.
Drip Torch
Ignition using a drip torch.
Photo courtesy of Forestry Suppliers, Inc. Photo courtesy of Jim
Ansley
Weather Instruments Top of Page
Description
Weather instruments are critical to the conduct of all prescribed fires. Weather kits should be equipped with a psychrometer (temperature & relative humidity), anemometer (wind speed), bottle of water, note pad, and compass (Kit 1). Improvements in fire weather kits include a digital readout hygrometer that gives quick relative humidity and temperature in Fahrenheit or centigrade, and a hand-held wind indicator that uses a wind-driven fan (Kit 2) as opposed to the “pith ball” type.
Application
Burning is very weather sensitive. In addition to National Weather Bureau forecasts, on-site measurements are critical and should be taken prior to and during the burning activity. Data should be recorded at regular intervals, usually every 30 minutes. Wind speed affects fire behavior immediately. A change in relative humidity does not affect moisture levels in fine fuels for about 30 minutes.
Weather kit 1 (left) and kit 2 (right)
Photo courtesy of Wayne Hamilton
Description
Hand tools include swatters,
shovels, fire rakes, axes, and a 3- to 5-gallon backpack pumper. It is
important that these tools to be available to stop escaped fires. Fire
tools are available from companies that specialize in burning and
firefighting equipment. Two-way radios are critical for communication
between members of the fire team.
Backpack pumper used to extinguish a fire.
Photo courtesy of Wayne Hamilton.
Description
Fire-fighting pumper trucks are necessary for the safe conduct of prescribed fires. The appropriate size depends on the application. Pumper units consist of a water tank, pump, gasoline or diesel engine, and a retractable hose 50 to 100 feet in length. Trucks should to be 4-wheel drive for rangeland burning. Slip-on units (100 gallons) are suitable for ¾ -ton pickups. A 1-ton diesel truck with a self-contained 300 gallon unit is a popular size for research and commercial burning. Trucks should have racks for drip torches, fuel cans, hand tools, and radio and cell phone communication. Pumper units can be fabricated in a shop from components purchased separately or purchased as fully-equipped, self-contained units to be attached to a truck frame.
Application
Truck and pump engines should be kept in good condition to insure that they will operate when needed, and the pumping system must be protected in freezing weather. Fire trucks are placed at strategic locations during burning so they can quickly reach an escaped fire.
One-ton pumper truck with 300 gallon tank.
Photo courtesy of Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
Aerial Ignition Systems Top of Page
Description and Application
Helitorches are used by helicopters for aerial ignition of all types of large-scale prescribed fires including oil spills. Helitorches will operate under any helicopter equipped with a cargo hook and 28 VDC power. A 55-gallon tank supplies special fuel to a propane ignition system which then supplies a uniform stream of fire to the targeted area. A support trailer with mixing tanks to prepare the gel fuel is required. The pilot controls the helitorch operation. The burn boss is located in a separate aircraft or strategic ground site.
Helitorch used for aerial ignition of prescribed fires.
Photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology & Development
Center
Plastic Sphere Dispenser Top of Page
Description and Application
The plastic sphere dispenser (PSD) known colloquially as the “Ping Pong Ball Machine” was designed for rapid, low-cost ignition of fine fuel over long fire lines from helicopters. Plastic spheres containing potassium permanganate are injected with ethylene glycol (antifreeze) as they are ejected from an aircraft. After a delay of about 20 seconds a chemical reaction causes the plastic spheres to ignite. The PSD is installed in the passenger’s compartment behind the helicopter pilot, and the operator sits next to the PSD. The operator receives commands from the fire boss in the front seat. This aerial ignition equipment is easy to setup and use because there is no mixing of flammable liquid, and the operator and burn boss are in the ignition aircraft. Dispensing can be adjusted to achieve ground distances of 4 to 70 feet between spheres.
Plastic sphere dispenser (PSD) mounted in helicopter
Photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology & Development
Center
Sources
The manufacturers' websites list information on equipment sizes, accessories, dealers, and their email addresses. Local farm and ranch supply stores and chemical dealers may stock sprayer equipment that is suitable for pumper trucks and hand tools.
Ben Meadows Company (catalog)
P.O. Box 5277
Janesville, WI 53547-5277
Phone: 800-241-6401
Phone: 608-743-8001
Fax: 608-743-8007
Website:
www.benmeadows.com
Cascade Fire Equipment Co.
P.O. Box 4248
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: 800-654-7049
Phone: 541-779-0394
Fax: 541-779-8847
Website:
http://www.cascadefire.com
Forestry Suppliers, Inc. (catalog)
P.O. Box 8397
Jackson, MS 39284-8397
Phone: 800-647-5368
Phone: 601-354-3565
Fax: 601-292-0165
Website:
www.forestry-suppliers.com
Premo
Plastics Engineering LTD (PSD unit)
863 Viewfield Road
Victoria, British Columbia V9A4V2
Phone: 604-382-3023
Fax: 604-383-4335
SEI
Industries Ltd. (PSD unit, Bambi bucket, fire-fighting equip)
7400 Wilson Avenue
Delta, BC, Canada V4G 1E5
Phone: 604-946-3131
Fax: 604-940-9566
Website: www.sei-ind.com
Simplex Manufacturing (Helitorch)
13340 NE Whitaker Way
Portland, OR 97230
Phone: 503-257-3511
Fax: 503-257-8556
Website:
www.simplexmfg.com
Wildfire (firefighting equipment)
P.O. Box 58
Norton, VT 05907
Phone: 800-426-5207
Phone: 514-637-5572
Fax: 514-637-3985
Website:
http://www.wildfire-equipment.com
Wylie Sprayers, Inc. (pumps and
tanks)
100 North Main Street
Petersburg, TX 79250
Phone: 800-722-4001
Phone: 806-667-3566
Fax: 806-667-3392
Website:
www.wyliesprayers.com
Additional Burning Information Top of Page
McPherson, G.R., G.A. Rusmussen, H.A. Wright, and C.M. Britton. 1986. Getting started in prescribed burning. Texas Tech University, Dept. of Range and Wildlife Management, Management Note 9. Lubbock, TX 79409.
Scifres, C.J. and W. T. Hamilton.
1993. Prescribed burning for brushland management. Texas A&M University
Press, College Station, TX 77843.