Command 1C: WUI Command Operations for the Company Officer Student Manual January 2013 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Office of the State Fire Marshal State Fire Training COMMAND 1C WUI Command Operations For The Company Officer Published By State Fire Training Po Box 944246 Sacramento, CA 94244-2460 January 2013 COMMAND 1C WUI Command Operations for the Company Officer TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................ i Unit 1: The Wildland Urban Interface Environment Topic 1-1: Fire Suppression in the Wildland Urban Interface Environment ........................................... 1 Defining the WUI .............................................................................................................................. 1 WUI Hazards .................................................................................................................................... 2 Key Points from Historical Fires ........................................................................................................ 3 Firefighting Challenges ................................................................................................................... 10 Topic 1-2: Community Partnership Initiatives..................................................................................... 12 Fire Safe Council ............................................................................................................................. 12 Firewise Communities Program ...................................................................................................... 12 Ready, Set, Go! ............................................................................................................................... 13 Property/Structure Preparation ..................................................................................................... 14 Public Evacuation Preplanning........................................................................................................ 17 Unit 2: Authority and Responsibility Topic 2-1: Jurisdictional Authority and Responsibility ........................................................................ 19 Jurisdictional Responsibility Areas .................................................................................................. 19 Local, State, and Federal Mutual Aid Resource Agreements ........................................................... 20 Working with Assisting/Cooperating Agencies ................................................................................ 22 Media Relations ............................................................................................................................. 27 Private Industry Fire Response ....................................................................................................... 27 Topic 2-2: WUI Company Officer Responsibilities and Leadership Fundamentals ............................... 31 Leadership Expectations ................................................................................................................. 31 Situational Leadership .................................................................................................................... 32 Command Presence ....................................................................................................................... 35 Crew Cohesion ............................................................................................................................... 36 Crew Safety .................................................................................................................................... 40 Code of Conduct ............................................................................................................................. 42 Leader’s Intent ............................................................................................................................... 43 Unit 3: Fire Behavior Forecasting Topic 3-1: Fire Behavior in California's Fire Environment ................................................................... 48 Locations ........................................................................................................................................ 48 Significant Winds ............................................................................................................................ 49 Thunderstorm Winds and Downdrafts............................................................................................ 51 Fuel Characteristics that Affect Wildland Fire Behavior .................................................................. 52 Topography .................................................................................................................................... 56 Microclimates ................................................................................................................................ 59 Seasonal Variability ........................................................................................................................ 59 Special Considerations ................................................................................................................... 60 January 2013 COMMAND 1C WUI Command Operations for the Company Officer Extreme Fire Behavior .................................................................................................................... 62 Color and Column of Smoke ........................................................................................................... 64 WUI Specific Fire Behavior ............................................................................................................. 66 Tactical Considerations................................................................................................................... 67 Topic 3-2: Collecting and Using Wildland Fire Weather, Fuels, and Topographic Information ............ 69 Campbell Prediction System ........................................................................................................... 69 Appendix B, Fireline Handbook ...................................................................................................... 70 Computer Applications ................................................................................................................... 70 Collecting Internet and Radio Broadcast Intelligence ...................................................................... 70 Collecting Field Tool Intelligence .................................................................................................... 73 Unit 4: Managing Risk and Firefighter Safety Topic 4-1: Managing Risk at a WUI Fire .............................................................................................. 78 Situational Awareness .................................................................................................................... 78 Rules of Engagement ...................................................................................................................... 79 Safety and Survival ......................................................................................................................... 85 Responder Rehabilitation ............................................................................................................... 93 Risk Management Process .............................................................................................................. 94 Risk Refusal .................................................................................................................................... 96 Decision Making ............................................................................................................................. 98 The Seven Barriers to Situational Awareness and Decision Making .............................................. 100 Intervention with Assertive Statement Process ............................................................................ 103 Unit 5: WUI Incident Operations Topic 5-1: Preincident Considerations .............................................................................................. 104 Evaluating Potential Risks ............................................................................................................. 104 Preincident Planning .................................................................................................................... 106 Evaluating the Impact of Weather Events ..................................................................................... 111 Staffing Augmentation Plans ........................................................................................................ 112 Topic 5-2: Readiness of Assigned Personnel and Equipment ............................................................ 113 Personnel Preparation .................................................................................................................. 113 Recommended Equipment for Type 3 Engines ............................................................................. 114 Personal Protective Equipment .................................................................................................... 115 Topic 5-3: Radio Communications ...................................................................................................