EFFECTIVENESS OF WATER-RETAINING POLYMER AS FIRE RETARDANT IN INDIRECT USE

Daiane Cristina De Lima,Luana Bouvié,Brena Geliane Ferneda,Adilson Pacheco De Souza,Josiane Fernandes Keffer,Charles Campoe Martim

doi:10.1590/1806-908820200000029

Abstract

ABSTRACT The use of fire retardants increases efficiency in fighting forest fires, however, it still presents uncertainties regarding environmental contamination, recommendations for preparation, and it lack of regulation in Brazil. In this scenario, alternative products such as water-retaining polymers, that can reduce the rapid evaporation of water, can also have positive effects in terms of reducing fire behavior. Efficiency and ways of using the water-retaining polymer as a short-duration fire retardant (indirect combat) in controlled burns in eucalyptus plantations were evaluated. Five concentrations (dilution in water), three volumes of spray solution, and two post-application times on the combustible material available in the area were evaluated. Controlled burns were conducted downwind, between 10 am and 2 pm, during dry season in the region, with micrometeorological and fire behavior assessments (fire propagation speed and length of flames). Increased spray volume and concentration of water-retaining polymer led to reductions in the spread of fire. In eucalyptus combustible material, the water-retaining polymer can be used as a fire retardant of short duration (effective up to two hours after application), considering a spray volume of 2.0 L m-2 and concentration of 0.0060% (diluted in water).

Highlights

Forest fires are worrisome events on global, regional and local scales, due to the countless economic, social and environmental impacts they generate in the areas they affect
The water-retaining polymer can be used as a fire retardant of short duration, considering a spray volume of 2.0 L m-2 and concentration of 0.0060%
The available fuel material was homogeneous between the treatments, since no significant differences (p> 0.05) were observed between layer thickness, percentage distribution, total dry mass and moisture content in the plots used in the evaluation of the different concentrations of the water-retaining polymer and its interactions with the spray volumes and post-application times (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Forest fires are worrisome events on global, regional and local scales, due to the countless economic, social and environmental impacts they generate in the areas they affect. Knowledge of fire behavior can be used to establish procedures for training of firefighters, activities to prevent ignitions of anthropic origin, definition of levels of readiness and pre-positioning of the means of suppression, design of tactics and strategies for suppressing fire, and in the planning and execution of controlled fires. In this context, several methods of direct and / or indirect fighting of forest fires have been developed; in this case, attention is given to chemical firebreaks composed of fire retardants (RIBEIRO et al, 2006; FILHO et al, 2012). In the indirect fight against forest fires, the retardants available on the market are generally effective, but present drawbacks such as environmental impacts, high costs and lack of information regarding concentrations, spray volumes and duration of efficacy after application (DIETRICH et al, 2014; CANZIAN et al, 2016), associated with the lack of legislation relevant to Brazilian conditions (IBAMA, 2018)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion