Building fireline downhill requires special attention to safety factors because of the potential for rapid uphill fire spread. This Watch Out depicts firefighters building fireline downhill without first mitigating the existing hazards.

It is safer to start firefighting where the activity is lesser or the fire is moving away from firefighters. This Watch Out shows a firefighter in a position where he would be unable to safely engage in fire suppression.

Fire crews often receive supplies transported by pack stock (horses and mules). While these animals provide fire crews a valuable service, they can cause injury to themselves and personnel, and severely damage food, gear, and fire equipment, if not handled properly.

Unexploded ordnance (UXO) is most likely to be encountered on military or former military sites. UXO poses risk of injury or death to anyone in the vicinity. 

Liquefied Propane Gas (LPG) tanks are commonly found in the wildland urban interface and present hazards to firefighters in that environment. LPG tanks may be found around motor homes, travel trailers, grills, camp stoves, lanterns, etc. Directly attacking LPG tank fires is a structural fire task involving hazardous materials and should only be attempted by trained personnel using full structural personal protective equipment and equipped with a volume of water adequate to safely attack the fire.

Operating near or under power lines poses unique hazards, and the following precautions should be followed to reduce potential injury or equipment damage:

Fuel Handling – Watch Out for “Normalization”

There is an apprehension that the safety concerns surrounding the use of gasoline in firefighting operations can get “normalized”. In firefighting, we use gasoline for a variety of applications, including pumps, chainsaws, vehicles, drip torches, etc.

Ash pits are an inherent and hidden risk to wildland firefighters that can cause severe burns and injuries. Ash pits are created when a ground fire consumes underground fuels creating an empty space that is imperceptible from the surface.

Dealing with serious injuries on the fireline can add even more stress to our hectic work environment. In the event a fireline accident occurs, adherence to the following principles is important to ensure an adequate and appropriate response is made.