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Using Firebreaker—A Quick Tour
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 "Flames are safely confined within a burning chamber dragged behind a low-gear vehicle")
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 "Sideways spread of flames is restricted by water spraying from adjustable spray heads")
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 "Residual flames are extinguished by backpack water sprayers")
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 "Burning is highly constrained")
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 "Effective firebreaks are made by doing a controlled burn between parallel burned strips")
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 "An optional Afterburner extends the enclosed burning area, improving safety and increasing operating speed.")
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 "A water sprayer with a tank and pump supports the water system and also provides two high-pressure handguns")
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Firebreaker Trials Conducted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service
Front Page News: Machine Used to Help Control Fires Tested in South Dakota, USA Photo Gallery: Firebreaker Trials in Huron, South Dakota |
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Testing in the USA begins at the Huron Wetland Management District, South Dakota
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Branch of Fire Management is responsible for the FWS's Fire Management program Click on the image to open the photograph |
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 "The Burner is pulled by a low gear vehicle. In addition, a liquid extraction LPG cylinder and a water tank and pump are required. A wildfire truck is on standby.")
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 "Here the LPG cylinder, water tank, and pump are carried on a trailer behind a tractor")
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 "Gas burners fueled by liquid petroleum gas are lit after the liquid extraction valve on the cylinder and the gas regulator have been opened")
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 "Sideways spread of flames is restricted by a wet line created by water spraying from adjustable spray heads")
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 "Flames burn safely within the confines of the burning chamber dragged behind the tractor")
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 "A FWS crewmember with a long-handled flapper monitors and smothers residual flames as required")
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 "The resulting blackline is well defined, illustrating the degree to which flames are contained by the combination of burning chamber, airflow and the wet line")
 "The last turn until the snow melts in spring")
 "Tractor towing specially designed trailer fitted with the auxiliary equipment required by the Firebreaker’s burning and water systems")
 "Basic Burner and Afterburner behind specially designed trailer fitted with two separate water tanks, two LPG tanks, hose real, and equipment holders")
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Firebreaker at the 2004 NAMPO Agricultural Show
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 "The Tractor Model comes with three LPG burners and a gas supply hose with a quick coupler and regulator, as well as a fixed water line with adjustable spray heads and a water supply hose. It is just over two metres high.")
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 "Detail of LPG burners and front water spray heads")
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 "Detail of front water spray heads")
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Firebreaker Support Equipment
The fire team at Anglo Coal's Landau Colliery protects employees and safeguards mine property and equipment from runaway fires. Landau Colliery, an open-cast operation, is one of Anglo Coal's South African export mines. Click on the image to open the photograph |
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') "Tractor with skid sprayer and gas cylinder mounted on our custom-made 1-ton high-speed trailer (used for transporting the Firebreaker)")
 "Tractor with single-axle water tender with bracket for gas cylinder")
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Burning Firebreaks on a Game Farm near Sterkfontein, South Africa
Burning was done in windy conditions using a crew of four: a tractor driver, a high-pressure handgun operator directly behind the Firebreaker, a spotter with a backpack sprayer 200 yards behind the Firebreaker, and a standby high-pressure handgun operator. Vegetation was a dense mix of dry grass and Seriphium plumosum (Bankrupt Bush). Click on the image to open the photograph |
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 are confined inside the burning chamber') "High flames caused by the volatile oils in Seriphium plumosum (Bankrupt Bush) are confined inside the burning chamber")
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 "The front spray heads create a wet line on either side of the burning chamber")
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 "The back spray heads can be adjusted to keep the unburned vegetation directly alongside the burning chamber wet, and to control residual flames left behind the chamber")
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 "The flames burn out inside the burning chamber. The back spray heads help to control any residual flames.")
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 "Flames are controlled by the combined effect of the upward draft inside the burning chamber and the two adjacent wet lines")
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 "The dividing line between burned and unburned fuel, created in dense fuel")
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 "A tractor-mounted water tank with a high-pressure handgun is on standby")
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 "About 200 metres behind the Firebreaker, a spotter with a backpack sprayer extinguishes embers that could flare up")
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 which contains volatile oils.') "Even in windy conditions, Firebreaker provides a safe environment in which to burn. Here we are burning dense fuel consisting of a mix of dry grass and Seriphium plumosum (Bankrupt Bush) which contains volatile oils.")
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 "Grass up to a metre high can be burned. If there is no wind or if you are using an Afterburner, you can burn longer grass.")
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 "Burning the strip that will serve as the control line for a controlled burn that will create a wide firebreak")
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 "Burning of the control line is complete, and we are ready for the next step...")
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 "A controlled burn between the blackline and the dirt road on the right will complete the firebreak")
 "Final inspection of the blackline by those whose safety depends on it")