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- Info
Two rural/urban interface fires in the Wellington suburb of Karori: assessment of associated burning conditions and fire control strategies
| Author: |
Fogarty, Liam G. |
| Date: |
1996 |
| Periodical: |
Rotorua, New Zealand: New Zealand Forest Research Institute; FRI Bulletin No. 197, Forest and Rural Fire Scientific and Technical Series, Report No. 1. Incooperation with: National Rural Fire AuthorityForest and Rural Fire Scientific and Technical Series |
| Abstract: |
The behavior of two extreme wildfires burning in gorse (Ulex europaeus) fuels in the Wellington suburb of Karori is recorded for the future development and validation of fire behavior prediction models. Burning on steep slopes and in High forest fire danger conditions, the McEwans Fire (6 February 1994) exhibited extreme fire behavior with a head fire spread rate of 4440 m/h (± 360m/h) and a fire line intensity of 60 000 kW/m. The Montgomery Crescent Fire (1 March 1994), which also burnt in High forest fire danger conditions had a rate of spread of 3400 m/h (±550 m/h)and the fire line intensity was greater than 25 000 kW/m. The need to protect life and property during suppression of Rural/Urban Interface fires places firefighters under great stress. At both fires, firefighters responded to these pressures and adopted the high risk strategy of making a stand to halt the spread of the head fire. The McEwans Fire was controlled without incident when firefighters took advantage of favorable wind and slope conditions which had reduced fire intensity sufficiently to allow for the fire to be safely contained. In contrast, a crew of firefighters attempting to protect houses from the Montgomery Crescent Fire were burned-over by an extreme head fire. The safety aspects of making a stand in scrub fuels, and alternative methods of fire suppression are discussed. At the Montgomery Crescent Fire, members of the public were evacuated before the fire reached their homes. This action is discussed through a comparison with research findings from the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires in Victoria, Australia, where it was found that unoccupied houses are more vulnerable to being destroyed by fire and that many civilian deaths resulted from people being caught outside the safety of their homes when the fire front arrived. Making a stand and evacuating residents are both legitimate and useful techniques available to officers responsible for fire suppression in RUI areas. However, both have high levels of risk which need to be identified and accounted for in the development and implementation of fire suppression strategies and tactics. An understanding of fire behavior and factors affecting firefighter and resident safety is imperative. |
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