Forest and Wildland Firefighting in Japan: Key tactics, equipment, and strategies for effective wildfire suppression.
Japan, with approximately 67% of its land covered in forests, is highly susceptible to wildfires. These precious forest resources take decades to regenerate once burned. Here, we will describe the firefighting activities for forest and wildland fires.
Equipment
Firefighters must wear full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) including fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus for all wildland fires. The terrain and weather conditions, such as wind direction, can cause the fire to change suddenly, making it difficult to judge the situation and increasing the danger for firefighters. Thus, PPE is always essential for their safety.
Activities
Vehicle Parking
The first arriving fire trucks should park as close to the scene as possible. Quick water discharge is crucial in wildland fires.
The spread speed can range from 4 to 7 km/h, and in densely vegetated areas like tall grasses, it can reach up to 10 km/h depending on wind conditions. Therefore, it’s important to extinguish the fire while it is still small.
Size-up
- Check the approximate wind speed and direction.
- Avoid positioning team members downwind.
Spot Fires
Check for spot fires that may have spread. The main fire can move at 15 km/h in strong winds, and spot fires can spread over distances ranging from 100 meters to 1 kilometer.
Hose Line Deployment
The basic strategy involves using fire trucks with water tanks as close to the scene as possible, conserving water. Fire trucks typically carry more than 1500 liters of water, which allows for 3-5 minutes of water discharge.
Wildland fires often take longer to set up relay pumping. Extending ten 65mm hoses uses approximately 630 liters of water, which reduces the available water to below 1000 liters. To avoid wasting water, use 40mm hoses instead, but be cautious of friction loss.
Nozzle Operation
In wildland fires, the basic tactic is to use flanking attacks. This is the most effective method, attacking the fire from the sides, especially on slopes where the fire can spread rapidly. Narrow the width of the fire line and push the fire towards the ridge, creating a firebreak or containment line at the ridge to control the fire.
Common tactics for both forest and wildland fires include using low water flow and avoiding direct water application on burning areas. The primary risk in wildland firefighting is water depletion.
As mentioned, fire trucks with water tanks typically carry no more than 1500 liters, so large-scale water discharge is not feasible. It’s important to apply water evenly to areas where the fire is expected to spread, rather than trying to extinguish already burned areas.
Be aware of changing wind directions as they can quickly alter the fire’s path.
Mop-up Operations
Even after the main fire is extinguished, continue to check the area thoroughly. Designate teams to handle mop-up operations, using tools like fire beaters, soil covers, and water to ensure complete extinguishment of all small embers.
Key Points:
- Monitor wind speed and direction.
- Use minimal water to prevent fire spread.
- Conduct thorough mop-up operations.
Large-Scale Forest Fires (Wildfires)
Large-scale forest fires pose the risk of losing valuable forest resources, damaging homes, and spreading across city and prefecture borders. Ground firefighting requires many personnel, and transporting equipment and prolonged water spraying can exhaust firefighters. Helicopter-based information gathering and aerial firefighting are essential strategies, carried out by prefectural and fire department helicopters and by Self-Defense Force helicopters dispatched upon the prefectural governor’s disaster request.
Fire Line Formation
A fire line is a break in the fuel (vegetation) that is created by cutting or wetting the area to prevent the fire from spreading.
Command Structure and Teamwork
Effective and safe operation at any level of forest fire control requires excellent leadership and teamwork. The basic principles of a well-organized team are the chain of command and span of control.
Incident Commander (IC)
The Incident Commander is the person responsible for the fire and must have complete authority over all activities. In small fires, they coordinate fire suppression. As the number of firefighters increases and the fire becomes more complex, they delegate authority to other leaders to maintain control.
Regardless of the scale, every fire always has an Incident Commander. While the IC makes the final decisions, decisions impacting specific actions (e.g., hose placement, pump setup) fall to the squad leaders. However, the IC is ultimately responsible for decisions affecting overall operations.
Fire Line Location
Here are some general principles for locating a fire line:
- Place the fire line as close to the fire edge as possible to allow firefighters to safely attack the fire directly.
- Always anchor the fire line to a secure control line to prevent being surrounded by the fire.
- Utilize natural barriers like roads, trails, rivers, lakes, or rocks as part of the fire line.
Avoid creating fire lines on downhill slopes directly below the fire to prevent rapid uphill fire spread. Attack from below upwards and from upwind to downwind for safety.
Firefighting Tools
Shovel
A shovel can be used to cut small branches, dig trenches for indirect attacks, expose burning embers for water application, and directly smother fires with dirt. The effective range for throwing dirt is about 5 meters.
Portable Fire Pump
Portable fire pumps are used where fire trucks cannot reach. They require regular maintenance, fuel checks, and positioning at intervals of 100-200 meters.
Portable Water Tank
Used especially when water sources are far from the fire scene or when large amounts of water are expected to be needed.
Hose Line Layout
Ensuring hose lines are always in non-heated areas is crucial to prevent bursting and maintain firefighter safety.
Fire Suppression Equipment
- Radios and transceivers
- Portable fire pumps
- Branch pipes
- Pump fuel
- Portable water tanks
- Shovels (spades)
- Hoses
- Nozzles
- Ropes
- Saws, chainsaws
- Food and drink
- Forest maps
- Light trucks
Activities and Goals
The main goal is to contain the fire to the smallest possible size using various methods and equipment. Regular assessment of the situation (size-up) is critical. Size-up involves continuously evaluating the fire’s perimeter to make crucial decisions.
Direct Attack
This method involves attacking the fire directly at its edge using hoses or shovels.
Indirect Attack
Involves creating a break in the fuel path to separate the fire from unburned vegetation, usually when the fire is too intense for a direct attack.
Nozzle Crew Operations
Three-Person Nozzle Crew
Includes a nozzle operator, a hose handler, and a backup. The nozzle operator controls the water flow, the hose handler manages hose placement, and the backup assists in hose movement.
Four-Person Nozzle Crew
Similar to the three-person crew but with an additional backup to assist with hose operations.
Mop-Up
Mop-up involves extinguishing remaining hot spots after the main fire is controlled. This requires discipline and time, using methods such as checking for smoke, using thermal imaging devices, and thoroughly wetting hot spots.
Proper mop-up procedure:
- Start at the outer edge of the fire.
- Slowly work towards the center while checking for heat sources.
- Use all available tools to ensure complete extinguishment.
- Monitor for smoke throughout the day.
- The IC is the only person who can officially declare the fire out.
Aerial Firefighting
Aerial firefighting for wildfires involves the use of helicopters to disperse water or fire retardants from the air over the fire area or its surroundings. Given the difficulty of ground firefighting operations in forest fires, the effectiveness of aerial firefighting is well recognized. Early implementation of aerial firefighting systems upon detecting a wildfire can help reduce damage.
Information to Provide When Requesting Firefighting Helicopters
When requesting a firefighting or disaster prevention helicopter, the following information should be provided:
- Requesting municipality
- Requester’s name and request date
- Date, location, and overview of the disaster
- Summary of the needed support
Additionally, the fire chief of the requesting municipality should promptly provide the following details to the fire chief of the supporting municipality and the governor of the requesting prefecture:
- Specific details of the required support
- Equipment and materials needed for the support activities
- Locations suitable for takeoff and landing, and refueling arrangements
- Name and position of the chief commander at the disaster site and communication methods
- Preparation status of equipment at the takeoff and landing site
- Activity status of other aircraft and helicopters near the site
- If requesting additional helicopter support, provide the names of the fire departments or prefectures that own the helicopters
- Weather conditions
- Helicopter guidance methods
- Contact information of the requesting fire department
- Any other necessary information
Helicopter Acceptance System
Takeoff and Landing Sites
Preselect candidate sites for takeoff and landing, and use suitable locations based on the fire site and the number and type of helicopters requested. Consider the following:
- Proximity to the fire site
- Absence of flight obstacles such as tall trees, power lines, and towers
- Avoiding proximity to houses, orchards, and farms
- Locations with stable air currents
- Separate takeoff and landing sites for firefighting/disaster prevention helicopters and Self-Defense Force helicopters whenever possible
- Ensuring sufficient space based on helicopter size (e.g., 30m x 30m for firefighting/disaster prevention helicopters, 50m x 50m for medium-sized Self-Defense Force helicopters, and 100m x 100m for large Self-Defense Force helicopters). Provide additional space (approximately 30m x 30m) for refueling operations.
- Choosing flat areas, preferably paved or with grass/vegetation
Water Supply Sites
Water can be supplied either from natural water sources or by ground-based pump trucks, with the former being more efficient for firefighting. Select water supply sites considering the following:
- Adequate water depth for the size of the helicopter
- Separate water supply sites for firefighting/disaster prevention helicopters and large Self-Defense Force helicopters whenever possible
- Multiple water supply sites to prevent congestion when many helicopters are operating
- Refer to the criteria for takeoff and landing sites
Refueling Sites
Refueling and fuel procurement require urgent arrangements, so pre-coordinate with relevant parties for emergency procurement and transportation. Consider the following:
- Setting up refueling sites at takeoff and landing locations or arranging refueling at the nearest airfield
- Using tank trucks for refueling instead of drums for better safety and efficiency
- Ensuring vehicle access for tank truck refueling
Sharing Forest Information
Share fire prevention maps containing essential information for wildfire prevention among the fire, forestry, and other relevant departments. Use GIS (Geographic Information System) to keep the data, such as roads, water facilities, flight obstacles, and past fire information, up-to-date and utilize it effectively.
Grid Maps
For wildfires, display and share grid maps showing helicopter activity areas, ground unit activity areas, fire locations, and water supply points.
Reference Video
Reference page: “Key fire characteristics: combustion elements, smoke risks, toxic gases, and safe firefighting techniques.”
References National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
