Wildfire. A word that has the ability to send a shudder
through land managers and firefighters alike.
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| Picture Credit – The Guardian.com |
I have had a relationship with wildfires for a number of
years now, both as the Chair of the Scottish Wildfire Forum and as the
Strategic Lead for Wildfire in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The
position I have allows me the unique opportunity to work with a wide range of
Stakeholders to reduce the number and severity of wildfires. It also ensures that
the response the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has to incidents of this type
is the very best it can be and incorporates the most up to date practices and
equipment from across the world.
The prevention of wildfires and the response to them when
they happen can’t be achieved by a single agency alone. It will only be
effective when all stakeholders have a common understanding of the many issues
that contribute to the problem of wildfires. To that end the Scottish Wildfire
Forum has a strategy which combines three main strands:
- Prevention
- Communication
- Education and Training
All three of these strands have engagement and partnership
at the heart of them because we firmly believe that working together is the
best way of improving the situation.
Wildfires often occur in groups during the more extreme conditions.
We are seeing an increase in the number of times and the number of days of the
higher fire danger conditions. Last year
we issued 21 Fire Danger Warnings, the year before it was 6, and the year
before that only 2. These warnings are issued when among other things the
weather, fuel moisture and the rate at which fire is likely to spread reaches
specific threshold values.
When this is combined with the fact that fuel availability
is increasing due to changes in land management practice, it is easy to see
that the number of fires are likely to increase, and that they are likely to be
of a higher intensity and cover larger areas than we have seen in the past.
In order to reduce the number of wildfires it is important
to understand how they are caused. A colleague of mine is a firm advocate of
the “fact” that there are 3 main causes of fire: Men, Women and Children, and
while this tongue in cheek anecdote is said in jest, there is a degree of truth
in it.
Changing the behaviours and thinking of people, both the
public, and land managers, is likely to be a key element of reducing the number
and severity of wildfires.
Safe and responsible behaviour by the public while they are
enjoying the countryside is essential. The use of barbecues, camp fires and
discarded smoking materials are causes of wildfires, and while a very small
amount are caused deliberately, more often than not it is an accident that
gives rise to a wildfire. We must provide good information to the public to
educate them on the risk and how to behave responsibly.
There are many ways of achieving this; media releases,
either social, broadcast or print are effective, as is education at school for children,
even something as simple as clear and visible information at the areas the
public accesses the countryside has a part to play, we see great examples of
this from across the world, but for some reason rarely see them in the UK.
Fire has been used as an important land management tool for
century’s. The skills, processes and experiences handed down from generation to
generation provide land managers with the means to manage moorland in a tried
and tested way.
The popularity and effectiveness of this method of managing moorland
has been recognised by the Scottish Government, who, to provide guidance and
good practice, have developed the MuirburnCode,
which gives a vast amount of information on how to carry out burn activities. In
England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are equivalents in the Heather and
Grass Burning Codes.
Training and qualifications now exist to support the
development of these skills. There are new National Occupational Standards
developed by industry and LANTRA. A variety of organisations offer heather burning training. On-line training
initiatives are starting.
However, it is important to remember that current skills and
techniques, passed down through the generations, may not take into account the
changes in fuel types and loads and more extreme fire behaviour that climate
change is bringing.
To prepare for the wildfire season it is important to make
sure that all of the equipment you might use is in good, serviceable condition,
and that the people who may be called upon to use it are trained and available
if required.
A few hours preparation now will go a long way in the event
of a fire.
While any response made by the Scottish Fire and Rescue
Service is absolutely free, insurance policies are available to cover firefighting
costs incurred by local teams, and the possible use of helicopters, should they
be required. Helicopters can be extremely expensive, but are a great resource
for dealing with serious fires.
A good communications network, for calling out help if
required is important. Also having an emergency fire plan available that has
procedures, resources lists and includes maps and information on access points,
hard standing, and water supplies will help both the land managers and the Fire
Service should the worst happen.
One really positive way to help develop the lists of local
resources is by setting up a local Wildfire group.. A Wildfire Group is a local
partnership between the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and land managers,
including both public agencies and land managers, to tackle the increasing
threat of wildfires. Membership of a Wildfire Group should include landowners,
rural agencies, foresters, gamekeepers, farmers and crofters and anyone with an
interest in wildfire. These groups aim to improve resilience by considering
wildfire prevention and response. At a practical level, a wildfire group
establishes firm lines of communication, increases wildfire awareness, can
provide relevant training and provides a structure for a response to a
wildfire.
Wildfires are a recurring risk, and unfortunately the risk
is increasing. We must work together to improve our understanding of the risk,
how to reduce it, and have a response plan that is effective and efficient.
Bruce
Farquharson
Area
Commander – Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Chair of the
Scottish Wildfire Forum
