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Document

Type: Newsletter
Author(s): Gregory J. Baxter; Martin E. Alexander; Gary R. Dakin
Publication Date: 2004

When fire behaviour becomes threatening, firefighters disengage the fire and travel along escape routes to reach safety zones to avoid being entrapped or burned over. The Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) studied the travel rates of various types of Alberta fire suppression crews using simulated escape routes. This report focuses on the travel rates of Type I firefighters on a moderately steep slope (26%) in two different fuel complexes-grass on a powerline and a white spruce stand. This report also discusses the influences of using a marked trail or escape route and dropping one's pack and tool on travel rates, and the effect of slope steepness on fire spread in relation to firefighter travel rates upslope.

Online Links
Link to this document (270 KB; pdf)
Citation: Baxter, G.; Alexander, M.; Dakin, G. 2004. Travel rates of Alberta wildland firefighters using escape routes on a moderately steep slope. FERIC Advantage Report 5(25):1-15.

Cataloging Information

Topics:
Fire Behavior    Fuels    Safety
Regions:
Partner Sites:
Keywords:
  • Alberta
  • Canada
  • escape routes
  • fire protection
  • fire suppression
  • firefighters
  • fuel types
  • travel rates
  • wildfires
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 10923