UL Research Institutes and its Fire Safety Research Institute have revealed a new firefighter training course to address the threats found in the wildland urban interface, also known as WUI, or the zone where neighborhoods, commercial buildings, roads and other infrastructure blends with undeveloped wildland.
When WUI fires begin to spread into dense communities, there is a risk of urban conflagration, a large and destructive fire that is primarily spreading from structure to structure.
Instead of trees and vegetation, burning structures in the WUI become the primary fuel, increasing fire intensity and making suppression exponentially more difficult.
Firefighters must enhance situational and tactical awareness to battle these fires effectively.
Derek Alkonis, Research Program Manager for Fire Safety Research Institute explained: “In recent years we’ve all seen firsthand the devastation from WUI fires in communities in Colorado, California, Hawai’i and around the world
“We need to prepare all firefighters – wildland, structural and those who haven’t historically faced threats from wildfires – for the potential for urban conflagration.
“Understanding how these fires develop and spread and knowing how to perform tactically in these highly dynamic conditions translates directly to lives and property saved.”
The new course titled “Structure Triage Considerations for Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting” has been developed based on the body of available research and expertise from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and Fire Safety Research Institute.
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, International Association of Fire Fighters, National Institute of Standards and Technology and National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
The course also examines insights gained from URLI’s Maui Wildfires Analysis.
Hawai’i Attorney General Anne Lopez stated: “The devastation we witnessed in Lahaina underscored the urgent need for better tools, training and collaboration in the face of wildland urban interface fires.
“This new course from UL Research Institutes offers critical guidance that can help save lives, protect communities and ensure that our firefighters and communities are better prepared when these complex and fast-moving disasters strike.”
Existing wildland firefighter training focuses on fire behavior in unpopulated areas, while most structural firefighting training only covers brush fires briefly.
This course aims to help both types of firefighters understand the complexities of fire spread within the built environment and help inform key considerations for strategic decision making.
The course outlines how different structures ignite during WUI fires and helps firefighters understand where to prioritize their defense and suppression efforts.
Defensive actions can be impactful for a structure’s survivability and even when resources are limited, first responders can take important steps to slow down or stop fire spread.
Firefighters who take the course will be able to identify factors that influence fire behavior in the WUI, including fuels, such as vegetation and structures, and environmental factors, including topography and weather.
Describe the methods of WUI fire spread and explain how factors, such as structure separation distance, residential construction features, parcel fuel loading and community planning contribute to conflagration risk.
Identify key considerations for assessing structure and community defensibility to inform resource allocation and firefighting tactics during WUI fire incidents.
Apply knowledge generated from the organization’s post-fire analysis of the Maui wildfires to analyze the impact of structural and community features, as well as strategic decision-making, on the results of incident operations.
UL Research Institutes and its Fire Safety Research Institute have revealed a new firefighter training course to address the threats found in the wildland urban interface, also known as WUI.
