Heavy Equipment Used in Fire Suppression

A fire engine may assist with fire suppression if the incident is accessible via roads. Fire engines typically support a small crew with sufficient hand tools to initiate line-building activities. In addition water may be pumped to the fire via the engine’s live reel or through hoses progressively connected to the fire’s edge. In lieu of fire engines, water may sometimes be conducted to fires from a distant water source by portable sprinkler pipes.

Fireline plows and bulldozers build fireline by clearing vegetation and substantial volumes of fuels. A fireline plow is essentially an adaptation of a farm plow, modified and strengthened to provide a wider furrow, and attachable to the back of a truck, fire engine, or tracked vehicle. A bullldozer is a heavy-tracked vehicle with a wide, adjustable blade that is pushed and lifted from the front. On large fires, bulldozers can also be used to provide road access or widen fireline for fire engines to reach the fire, or to clear areas for campsites and helispots. Because of their ability uproot and push debris over large areas, bulldozers can cause environmental damage; for example, facilitating soil erosion when there is heavy rainfall after the fire is out (Chandler and others 1983). On flat terrain, a tractor plow alone may be sufficient to build a firebreak around the fire. In swampy areas with high water tables, a swamp buggy (all-terrain vehicle with oversized tires) may be needed to construct a firebreak.

Explosives are used for building fireline in limited circumstances, for example in heavy, peaty soils. A more common approach in lighter soils is laying specially designed hose containing explosives on the ground surface or in a shallow trench. “Water gel” explosives have been used safely and effectively for preparing fireline for prescribed fires. Success depends on fuel type and soil conditions, with less effectiveness in the presence of heavy fuels, slash, dense underbrush, or where soils are rocky. Obviously, certified blasters and suitable storage facilities are a must (Chandler 1983).