Forest Fire Fighting Research Articles

Coupled Effects of High Temperatures and Droughts on Forest Fires in Northeast China

High temperatures and droughts are two natural disasters that cause forest fires. During climate change, the frequent occurrence of high temperatures, droughts, and their coupled effects significantly increase the forest fire risk. To reveal the seasonal and spatial differences in the coupled effects of high temperatures and droughts on forest fires, this study used the Copula method and proposed the compound extremely high-temperature and drought event index (CTDI). The results indicated that the study area was subject to frequent forest fires in spring (71.56%), and the burned areas were mainly located in forests (40.83%) and the transition zone between farmland and forests (36.91%). The probability of forest fires in summer increased with high temperatures and drought intensity, with high temperatures playing a dominant role. The highest forest fire hazard occurred in summer (>0.98). The probability of a forest fire occurring under extreme meteorological conditions in summer and fall was more than twice as high as that in the same zone under non-extreme conditions. Droughts play a significant role in the occurrence and spread of forest fires during fall. These results can provide decision-making support for forest fire warnings and fire fighting in the Northeast China forest zone.

A Parallel Genetic Algorithm With Variable Neighborhood Search for the Vehicle Routing Problem in Forest Fire-Fighting

A Parallel Genetic Algorithm With Variable Neighborhood Search for the Vehicle Routing Problem in Forest Fire-Fighting

Application of drag-reducing polymers in forest firefighting: Effects on wood properties and mechanism study

Based on the successful utilization of polymer additives in drag reduction for long-distance transportation and the intricacies of their application in firefighting contexts, this study investigated the impact of additives on wood properties in forest fire suppression through a combination of experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, focusing on wettability, fluidity, and combustibility. Optimal concentrations of polymer solutions were determined through contact angle measurements and surface flow experiments. The effects of polymers on wood water retention, thermal stability, and microstructure were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and wood impregnation experiments. Wetting and flow models of polymers on cellulose surfaces were simulated to elucidate the wetting mechanism and dynamic behavior of polymers during flow. The results revealed that polyacrylamide (PAM) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) promoted wood surface wetting, improved flowability, enhanced water retention, and delayed decomposition at optimal concentrations. PAM exhibited superior effects in flow stability, thermal stability, and liquid absorption enhancement, attributed to strong hydrogen bonding between PAM and surfaces, primarily through amide groups. During flow, PAM molecules gradually aggregated and moved as aggregates along the X-axis. In contrast, the PEO system relied on electrostatic forces between water and surfaces, with dynamic processes involving repeated stretching and shrinking of PEO molecular chains to facilitate water flow and enhance wetting. This research contributes to delineating the application conditions and benefits of polymer on wood surfaces, enhancing the efficacy and potential of drag-reducing agents in firefighting applications.

An Integrated Quantitative Method of Risk Analysis and Decision Making for Safety Manipulation of a Forest Firefighting Aircraft by Using Physical Models of Multi-Hazard Factors

Although firefighting aircrafts are effective for fighting forest fires, they are affected by a variety of risks related to forest fires during flight operations such as thermal radiation, temperature rise, decrease in air density, and changes in updraft aerodynamics. However, quantifying these influences poses a challenge. Our research reveals that safety standards predominantly hinge on technical indicators like flight height, speed, and angle of attack, which makes it possible to quantify the above effects. A general method framework for analysing firefighting flight safety criteria was constructed in this thesis. Using relevant physical models, such as heat radiation, temperature, air density, and updraft in a forest fire environment, safety criteria with an analytical form were established. The corresponding safety constraints of each criterion were calculated quantitatively, and the most stringent constraint was determined based on multiple factors to obtain a comprehensive safety constraint boundary composed of the critical altitude, stall speed, and critical angle of attack. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified in a simulation case. The research results show that the constrained boundary calculation method proposed in this study can provide a scientific basis for the formulation of technical specifications for forest aviation fire safety and aviation fire task planning.

Applying and Evaluating the Modified Method of the Rothermel Model under No-Wind Conditions for Pinus koraiensis Plantations

Pinus koraiensis is one of the important tree species in Northeast China. Due to its high pine-needle-oil content and the density of human activities in its habitat, the forest-fire prevention situation is severe in the context of climate change. The rate of surface-fire spread is one of the key indicators for scientifically advancing early fire prevention and is crucial for guiding forest firefighting operations. In this study, we investigated how moisture content, load, and slope impact the surface-fire spread rate using indoor-simulated fire-spread experiments. Furthermore, we analyzed the limitations in the Rothermel model for predicting the surface-fire spread rate in P. koraiensis plantations and proposed modifications to the model by the modification method of priority to no-wind or slope conditions and slope conditions. Additionally, we evaluated the prediction accuracy of the original Rothermel model and two other modified models on the surface-fire spread rate. A high moisture content and low slope demonstrated an absolute inhibitory effect on the rate of surface-fire spread, whereas the promotional effect of a low moisture content and high slope was easily disturbed by the other factors. Under high-slope conditions, an overestimation situation was observed in the Rothermel model. Both of the modification methods involving priority to no-wind or slope conditions and slope conditions could improve this situation. Furthermore, the modification method demonstrated a better improvement effect on the prediction accuracy. Our findings provide valuable insights for refining the Rothermel model and offer guidance for improving the accuracy of predicting fire spread rates and behavior for Pinus koraiensis. This bears immense significance for advancing the understanding and calculation of the ROS of forest fires in the region.

An Efficient Approach With Dynamic Multiswarm of UAVs for Forest Firefighting

An Efficient Approach With Dynamic Multiswarm of UAVs for Forest Firefighting

산불진화복 난연성능 개선방안 마련에 관한 연구

In this study, we conducted research on the evaluation criteria for the fire-retardant and flame-retardant performance of forest firefighting suits worn by firefighters. We investigated guidelines and flame-retardant test methods for the flame-retardant performance of forest firefighting suits in Korea and abroad and collected forest firefighting suit samples to compare their specifications and materials. To compare non-fire-retardant products and products with reduced flame-retardant performance before and after washing among domestic forest firefighter suit samples, we conducted a flame spread prevention test of ISO 15025. As a result of the test, non-fire-retardant and post-fire-retardant products were completely burned regardless of washing before and after, and aramid products maintained their flame-retardant performance, resulting in results that met the judgment criteria. It is expected that this study will contribute to the improvement of the material, performance, and safety of forest firefighting suits by providing directions for the material and guideline standards of firefighting suits.

Flight Simulation of Fire-Fighting Aircraft Based on Multi-Factor Coupling Modeling of Forest Fire

Forest fires can develop rapidly and may cause a wide range of hazards. Therefore, aerial firefighting, which has the ability to respond and reach fire fields quickly, is of great significance to the emergency response to and subsequent extinguishing of forest fires. The burning of forest fires generates a lot of heat and smoke, which changes the air flow environment and vision over the region and brings challenges to aerial firefighting. In the present work, aerial forest firefighting simulation was divided into the forest fire spread model, the air flow model and the aircraft flight dynamic and automatic control model. Each model was constructed based on a physical method. An integrated framework was designed to realize the interaction among fire fields, airfields, and aircraft, and is verified. The proposed framework can be used for the emergency response decision of aerial forest fire fighting and subsequent fire-fighting mission planning.

Conceptual design of a nationwide spatial decision support system for forest fire prevention and fighting

Conceptual design of a nationwide spatial decision support system for forest fire prevention and fighting

Water Reservoir Placement Methodology for Forest Firefighting: A Case Study of Valparaíso, Chile

Climate change has a significant impact on generating forest fires. These fires damage property, interrupt productive processes, reduce employment sources, and generate direct economic losses. Also, fires contribute to climate change, resulting in a negative cycle. Therefore, the effective management of forest fires is of vital importance. This research focuses on the combat and mitigation phase of forest fires, with special emphasis on using helicopters to transport water from nearby reservoirs to the fire site. The location of these reservoirs is key since a greater distance traveled by helicopter means a longer delay in water transport, which favors the spread of the fire. For this reason, this research proposes an optimization model to determine the optimal location of these reservoirs in a territory. The proposed model is illustrated with a case study of the region of Valparaiso, demonstrating its usefulness for management and decision making when locating reservoirs for firefighting.

Modification of the Rothermel model parameters – the rate of surface fire spread of Pinus koraiensis needles under no-wind and various slope conditions

Background The prediction accuracy for the rate of surface fire spread varies in different regions; thus, increasing the prediction accuracy for local fuel types to reduce the destructive consequences of fire is critically needed. Aims The objective of this study is to improve the Rothermel model’s accuracy in predicting the ROS for surface fuel burning in planted forests of Pinus koraiensis in the eastern mountains of north-east China. Methods Fuel beds with various fuel loads and moisture content was constructed on a laboratory burning bed, 276 combustion experiments were performed under multiple slope conditions, and the ROS data from the combustion experiments were used to modify the related parameters in the Rothermel model. Results The surface fire spread rate in Pinus koraiensis plantations was directly predicted using the Rothermel model but had significant errors. The Rothermel model after modification predicted the following: MRE = 25.09%, MAE = 0.46 m min−1, and R2 = 0.80. Conclusion The prediction accuracy of the Rothermel model was greatly enhanced through parameter tuning based on in-lab combustion experiments Implications This study provides a method for the local application of the Rothermel model in China and helps with forest fire fighting and management in China.

Enhancing Efficiency and Safety in Forest Firefighting: A Comprehensive Review of Drone Applications

Enhancing Efficiency and Safety in Forest Firefighting: A Comprehensive Review of Drone Applications

산불진화대원의 복제 디자인 개발에 관한 연구

This study aimed to develop a new forest firefighting suit design by surveying the current state of forest firefighting suits in Korea and deriving improvement directions. We collected data on foreign forest firefighting suit designs through literature research and conducted a survey and discussion with people who wear forest firefighting suits. Based on the survey results, the primary areas for improvement were mobility, functionality, safety, portability, and design. We deduced design improvement directions and created three types of forest firefighting uniforms: “Colorful”, “Solid”, and “Utility”. After conducting a final product evaluation meeting, we selected the “Solid” type. The “Solid” type forest firefighting uniform incorporates stretchable spandex fabric for improved flexibility and enhances storage capacity for personal belongings. In addition, points were given using reflective film and material colors to ensure visibility. This study is expected to provide a variety of possibilities for the overall review of the forest firefighting suit management system and the development of forest firefighting suits through the design development and improvement of forest firefighting suits.

산불 진화대원용 방화두건에 대한 안전 성능기준 개발

There is no domestic safety performance evaluation standard for fire hoods, which are personal safety protective equipment to prevent heat damage to exposed skin such as the head and neck of firefighters due to continuous radiant heat and direct flame during forest fire fighting. Based on the standards of firefighting hoods for firefighter of the Korea Fire Institute, a comparative analysis of foreign standards(NFPA, ISO) was conducted, and domestic forest fire fighters and experts' opinions were collected to present domestic safety performance evaluation standards. In preparation for sudden fires that may occur at forest fire sites, supplementary items were derived according to the work of forest fire extinguishers through experiments on heat damage to the human body. It is thought that it will contribute to securing safety and efficiency of firefighting work due to heat damage by presenting fire hood performance evaluation standards for forest firefighters.

A novel modified nano-alumina composite sol for potential application in forest firefighting.

Herein, modified ammonium polyphosphate wrapped nano-alumina (mAPP@Als) was first synthesized and then dispersed in traditional fire extinguishing solution (FES) to fabricate a FES-mAPP@Als composite sol. It was found that the phosphorus-silica containing units were attached onto the nano-alumina surface, and the mAPP@Als particles showed excellent dispersion level in FES with a single-domain particle size distribution range. Due to the synergistic effects of the phosphorus-nitrogen and silica-alumina flame retardant components, FES-mAPP@Als (5% concentration) coated wood exhibited improved limiting oxygen index (33.2%) and carbonization ability, and depressed heat release (41.9%) and smoke production (10.7%), as compared to the pristine wood. In addition, the FES-mAPP@Als composite sol showed enhanced fire-extinguishing and anti-reignition capacities compared to the FES. This research offers a novel composite sol fire extinguishing agent for fighting forest fires.

A review of forest visualization and forest fire simulation technology research

A review of forest visualization and forest fire simulation technology research

Оптимизация режимов работы лесопожарной машины

The article considers specialized forest firefighting vehicles required to extinguish forest fires. An overview of modern domestic and foreign forest firefighting equipment and techniques for fighting forest fires is presented. Rapid heating of the cabin enclosure surfaces is a common weakness of the thermal shielding of a forest firefighting vehicle when extinguishing fires in extreme conditions. Therefore, the following issues remain relevant: problem of increasing the forest firefighting vehicle operation efficiency when extinguishing fires; issues of ensuring the operability and optimization of operation parameters and modes; development and creation of new fire protection materials; improving the cabin ergonomics and operator safety. The paper provides substantiation for optimizing the parameters and operation modes of a forest firefighting vehicle on the basis of the given tactical scheme of forest fire extinguishing. The objective function of the mathematical optimization problem is the production capacity, i.e. the area that can be extinguished by a forest fire vehicle. As control factors we consider following parameters of main and auxiliary equipment: capacity of pumps supplying water and foam/water mixtures; water tank capacity; estimated time of forest fire extinguishing and flame retardant properties of the forest firefighting vehicle structure elements, particularly spontaneous ignition temperature of cabin enclosure thermal insulation. The mathematical optimization problem is solved by the analytical method. Methods of computational mathematics and applied programming are used for numerical calculations and software implementation. The solution of the problem enables to calculate the production capacity of a forest firefighting vehicle, determine the required flame retardant properties of the cabin enclosure surfaces and propose new structural fire-resistant materials, recommend the main and auxiliary equipment. Improving the ergonomics of cabins during firefighting will improve the safety of the operator’s working conditions. The effective operation of a forest firefighting vehicle while firefighting reduces the damage to the environment and the losses caused by the destruction of millions hectares of forest. For citation: Pitukhin E.A., Rogozin S.S. Optimizing the Forest Firefighting Vehicle Operation Modes. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2022, no. 6, pp. 139–152. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2022-6-139-152

Fire Path Fighting in Forest Off-Road Using Improved ACA—An Example of The Northern Primitive Forest Region of The Great Xing’an Range in Inner Mongolia, China

In order to deal with the threat of forest fire to the original forest resources, improve the efficiency of firefighting, and better protect the forest ecological resources in the original forest area. In this paper, the ant colony algorithm is used as the search algorithm for the firefighting path, and the Qiqian Forestry Bureau in the northern primitive forest region of the Great Xing‘an Range in Inner Mongolia is taken as the research object to select road entry points with different linear distances from the fire poin. By adjusting the pheromone volatility coefficient, the improved ant colony algorithm can better deal with the off-road firefighting path planning in forest environment. The simulation results show that using the road entry point with linear distance of 24.5 km as the starting point for the path planning of off-road firefighting in the northern the Great Xing‘an Range can effectively shorten the path and minimize the loss caused by forest fire. At the same time, it verifies the effectiveness and rationality of the path planning of the improved ant colony algorithm under such environmental conditions. The optimization scheme meets the needs of forest fire fighting in the original forest area, and can play a guiding role in design of the forest fire path planning in the original forest area in the northern Great Xing‘an Range of Inner Mongolia and a reference for fire path planning in other forest areas in China.

Immersive virtual reality and passive haptic interfaces to improve procedural learning in a formal training course for first responders

One key aspect for the safety and success of first responders’ operations is the compliance, during the intervention, with all the safety procedures and prescribed behaviors. Although real-world simulation exercises are considered as the best way to verify if operators are ready to handle emergency situations, they are not always a viable approach. Firefighting courses, for example, do not usually include this kind of activities, due to the numerous hazards related to deploying controlled fires for the simulation. However, traditional training approaches based on class lessons and multimedia learning material may not be particularly effective for teaching practical skills and procedural behaviors. In this work, the use of a Virtual Reality Training Simulation (VRTS) combined with passive haptic interfaces and a real-time fire simulation logic is investigated as a complement to a traditional video-based training approach used in the context of forest firefighting. The teaching of safety concepts and correct use of individual firefighting tools was selected as a use case, and a user study involving 45 trainees was carried out in the context of an existing training course. One third of the trainees attended the traditional video-based lessons of the course, whereas the remaining ones also took part to a practice training session, half of them with the devised VRTS, the others in the real world. Experimental results showed that the additional use of the devised VRTS improved the trainees’ procedural learning, as well as their motivation and perceived quality of the overall learning experience.

산불특수진화대의 효율적 운영에 관한 연구

As the wildfires around the world has increased and the number of wildfires occurring outside of the wildfire period has increased, they are becoming more common throughout the year. In Korea, a total of 618 wildfires occurred during the first half of 2022, of which 11 were large-scale wildfires, which increased the risk of forest fires. In this study, the Korea forest firefighting was reviewed, problems were sought based on the case of the U. S. The U. S. Forest Firefighter divides its work into five areas by subdividing and specializing it, and the suppresion capability and strategic system to prepare for the next season. However, unlike the special purpose of the establishment, the Korea forest firefighter is operated inefficiently because it is put into general forest management(disease and insect control, etc.) forest fire off-season. In order to improve these problems, it is necessary not only to the treatment improvement of firefighters, but also to segment and specialize the work, and to prepare a system by various education and training at the national level.