Learning to Burn
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Learning to Burn
Learning to Burn
Module Objective: To understand the importance of identifying hazards, assessing risk to values and assets and to learn how to mitigate these risks.
Situational awareness is being aware of the conditions present (terrain, vegetation, weather conditions, and fire behaviour) which can impact on the nature of the fire and your ability to operate safely within the conditions. In a team setting, no one person may have full understanding of the current situation at any one time, requiring members to share their understanding through effective communication. One way to share situational awareness prior to burning is through briefings. Briefings need to be face to face, with all staff present, so that there is a common understanding of the hazards and contingency plans in place for these before the burn commences. Throughout the burn, continue to brief staff and update on changes to the conditions.
A useful tool to aid situational awareness while conducting the burn, and enhance crew safety, is to be thinking in terms of LACES.
LACES is an internationally recognised safety system used by professional firefighters to ensure crew safety and welfare when attending wildfire incidents. This tool can be readily adapted by those engaged in prescribed burning activities to prevent and mitigate against mishap and risk to operators. It stands for:
This table provides an overview of the various aspects of LACES, including the important role of the Lookout.
| Lookouts | Lookouts watch the fire and those working in the area of burning. They need to have a good view of the entire burn area, and be able to recognise and anticipate dangerous situations and immediately communicate these to those in danger. |
| Awareness / Anchor points | Situational awareness is an appreciation of the terrain, fuel types, fire behaviour and any changes in weather that might influence how the fire behaves. Anchor points are safe areas from which to light up or fight a fire, such as a track or firebreak, or previously burnt area. They serve as a barrier to fire spread and minimize the chance of being outflanked by a fire while a fire line is being constructed. |
| Communications | Having at least one way (and preferably two, in case one fails) to regularly communicate with others on the fire ground and the Lookout, at regular intervals. Also ensuring everyone is briefed on and understands the burn plan, and that all instructions are clear and understood. |
| Escape Routes | At least two planned escape routes need to be identified and known to all personnel involved, so that if one is cut off another option is available. Escape routes should be measured not in distance but in time taken to get to the safety zone — longer routes might be quicker and safer. |
| Safety Zones | The escape routes ought to lead to a safety zone. Safety zones are refuge places, often blackened or burned out zones, or natural features like roads. They need to be upwind of the fire and clear of vegetation. To be effective, a safety zone should be large enough that you can be a safe distance (at least 10x the height of the vegetation) away from the fire. |
How to enact LACES in practice
Lookouts One member of each burn team should always be assigned as a lookout. The main function is to watch the fire perimeter and ensure that it remains in control at all times, and that treated areas are fully extinguished and pose no risk of re-ignition. The lookout should position themselves where they can see the fire line, the fire itself, and the crews that are working the line. The size and complexity of the fire may require more than one lookout. Lookouts need to be experienced with controlled burns, so they can recognise danger immediately. Lookouts should also know the burn plan, so they know if the burn objective is being met, and if there are significant deviations that will impact on the outcome. Lookouts often have a dual role in tracking the weather regularly, and watching the sky for tell-tale signs of weather changes.
Should a fire escape, ensure all personnel are accounted for and summon the emergency services without delay.
Awareness Even with a Lookout, situational awareness and communicating progress and changed conditions is EVERYONE’s responsibility. The burn supervisor and all the team members should be aware at all times of how the fire is progressing and how it is likely to react to the fuels in its path.
Be aware of what the weather is doing throughout the day, and throughout the burn, as it changes.
As well as the external situation, attention must also be paid to the burning crew itself and signs of illness, fatigue or dehydration that may develop and affect fire control capabilities.
Communications Good clear communications must be maintained between burn team members and between burn teams and the Burn supervisor at all times. Clear communications links to the emergency services should be available, in the event they are required. A quick, reliable, and tested way to communicate might include direct portable radios, mobile phones, or verbal signals between nearby crew. If you plan on using radios or mobile phone, have a secondary system such as hand signals/semaphore, or whistles, in case of primary communication failure. Communications should also include regular reporting times to check in with the burn supervisor and communicate progress or any issues noted. Be aware that it can be very noisy in a fire environment, with limited visibility, so as fires get louder and smokier, the distance for signals between crew members may have to be shortened to adequately communicate.
Escape routes Clearly defined, un-obstructed safe escape routes should be agreed in advance and all team members and attendees made aware of them. More than one route should be identified in case one route is cut off from fire. Line the route with markers for visibility in smoky conditions, and let the crew walk the route prior to the burn for familiarity. In the event of loss of fire control, these routes should lead to a place of absolute safety, downhill, and down wind. Everyone should also know the conditions by which retreat is required back to a safe zone.
Safety zones are places of refuge, places you can be assured of your safety. Pre-determined safety zones should be designated in advance of operations. These should be areas containing the minimum or devoid of fuel. They should be large enough to accommodate everyone and close enough to be effectively utilised via escape routes. Recently burned areas, metalled tracks or rock outcrops etc. are ideal for use as safety zones. Be aware that gasses produced by the fire can be as lethal as the heat produced by flames. Because water bodies tend to be in low-lying areas, heavy gasses can collect above the water rendering them unsuitable as safety zones.
Safety zones must be:
A hazard is anything that will cause potential harm. Hazards can impact on
Identifying hazards requires a systematic survey of the burn site and burn plan to identify anything that could cause potential harm to those present.
Some obvious hazards at a prescribed fire are:
Some less obvious hazards that have been found to lead to accidents include:
Where hazards are identified, crews must be made aware of them. This can be done by:
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The following provide examples of hazards, and how these have been mitigated to minimise impact
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Risks are present due to the intersection of fire hazards, with the values and assets needing to be protected:
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Dimensions of Risk
Risk can be considered in terms of dimensions. Throughout the burn planning and operation, different dimensions are assessed and managed in different ways:
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Within each dimension of risk, the degree of risk can be reduced by adding layers of risk control measures as a backup, reinforcing the risk management systems. This is known as the “Swiss Cheese Model” – every potential gap is accounted for in the next layer of risk contingency:
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Risks can also be thought of as either static or dynamic.
Static risk is constant or consistent over the burn, but dynamic risk changes in response to the environment or situation, and may vary in likelihood or consequence over the timeframe.
Static examples include: • A dead stag on the edge of the burn site that may catch alight • A narrowed part of a track
Dynamic risks may include the actions of personnel, or a sudden wind change.
Risks must constantly be reassessed by the burn supervisor as the burn progresses.
** Risk Management**
Risk management for a burn consists of five key stages:
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Risk is a combination of the SEVERITY of the hazard, and the LIKELIHOOD of harm or injury occurring.
It is strongly advised that individual PCBUs who wish to carry out prescribed burning incorporate this activity into their farm Workplan Safety procedures, with the advice and assistance of their local Rural Fire Officer.
Download a Risk Management Plan example here Example plan as a handout
Understand how to identify hazards and assess risks associated with the burn.