Rosenbauer adds to forest firefighting vehicle portfolio

by Featured NewsProductsVehicles

Austria-based fire service vehicle manufacturer, the Rosenbauer Group, has added to its product portfolio for fighting forest fires.

The range, which features a line-up of forest firefighting vehicles, water-saving extinguishing systems (high/extreme pressure systems, compressed air foam systems), special technical equipment and lightweight personal protective equipment, has added the Rosenbauer firefighter excavator.

The new vehicle can be operated at high ambient temperatures and is designed to be used in wildland fire fighting, such as for creating firebreaks and access paths, dig trenches, or widen fireproof barriers (such as roads and paths).

The brigade excavator, which is positioned as an ideal clearance and recovery device in the event of floods, mudslides, or avalanches, does not have to be transported to the site of deployment on a truck trailer as it can drive there on its own at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour.

It features two modules: an all-wheel drive chassis and an excavator attachment with a telescopic boom.

The excavator module is powered by its own 126 hp engine, which provides a maximum digging force of 85 kN. The telescopic arm is extremely robust and has a horizontal reach of up to 14.6 m, giving the excavator a large radius of action and enabling work to be carried out at a safe distance from the seat of a fire, with a lifting capacity of 7 tons when the telescopic arm retracted, and 2.6 tons at maximum extension.

The model has a range of accessories, including shovels, buckets, tongs, grapples and hydraulic tools (hydraulic hammer) which can all be mounted on a rotary head which allows the tools to be rotated 360°, facilitating excavation and demolition work or the demolition of fire remains from all sides.

The excavator was jointly developed with the mechanical engineering company CSM Industry on the basis of their proven UDS multi-functional excavator. Production takes place on the premises of the Slovakian partner while Rosenbauer handles global sales.

Dahua’s new technology reduces Chinese mountain wildfire by 80%

by Featured NewsFirefighting EquipmentProductsThermal Imaging

At the beginning of 2020, Dahua Technology provided an intelligent forest fire prevention monitoring system for Rizhao. This solution gives an automatic early warning of fire, real-time fire control and closed-loop response through digital intelligence technology, significantly improving forest fire prevention and dispatch.

Mountainous regions, like Rizhao in Shandong Province of China, are vulnerable to forest fires. Recognised by the United Nations in 2009 as one of the most habitable cities in the world, this city consists of 4,358 mountains, with a forest area of 1,400 square kilometers that account for 70% of the region.

Up until now, forest rangers have manually scouted and monitored the area, walking nearly 10 kilometers of treacherous trails for several hours a day.

The Illegal wood burning in the area, if not controlled properly, can lead to a disastrous wildfire. According to a World Health Organization report, in 50% of wildfires recorded, the cause that triggered them is unknown.

At present, high-altitude dual-lens thermal imaging cameras cover the main mountains in the city, carrying out 360 ° remote monitoring 24/7. This solution also offers real-time sensing and intelligent management of people and vehicles coming in and out of the forest areas.

Furthermore, to reduce false alarms, the system adopts algorithms for deep smoke and mountain scanning, thus improving the accuracy of real fire alarms and saving manpower and material resources.

After half a year of operation, the system has detected more than 30 real mountain fires. The average number of fires found every day during fire season has significantly decreased by 80% compared with the initial stage of the project. This reflects the effectiveness of the solution in fire monitoring and the increasing awareness of villagers regarding fire safety.

Overall, this solution helps guarantee the safety of 1,400 square kilometers of forest resources in Rizhao.

Russia helps Turkey in fight against forest fires

by Middle East - Projects

The Russian government has loaned two Beriev Be-200 seaplanes to Turkey to help the country’s fight against forest fires. Planes staffed with Russian crews will be on duty in Antalya, Izmir and Bodrum, two cities and a town that have been gripped with forest fires in the past years.

Turkish media outlets reported that Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry sought assistance from Russia for the prevention of forest fires and in extinguishing them. Be-200 seaplanes are already in use against forest fires in several countries, including France, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Indonesia and Israel.

Statistics released by the government show that many of the forest fires in Turkey begin due to lack of care for the forests demonstrated by people who randomly dump garbage in wooded areas, leaving flammable materials behind. Last year, 11,332 hectares (28,000 acres) of forest were lost to fires. Firefighters fought 2,688 forest fires last year. Figures by the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) show that the cause of a majority of them was undetermined, but 883 fires stemmed from “negligence,” while 372 were sparked by natural causes. Another 124 fires were the result of arson, according to the investigations. Negligence led to the devastation of 6,529 hectares of forest.

The government, meanwhile, stepped up its fight against forest fires by providing better firefighting equipment to firefighters, including thousands of new boots and fire trucks, while it rented 30 firefighting helicopters to aid efforts to contain fires.

From 2015 to 2019, firefighters battled an average of 2,521 fires each year while gradually increasing their response time, which currently stands at 12 minutes.

Ontario Government increases funds for forest firefighting

by Active

The Ontario government has taken additional steps to protect people and property during the wildland fire season, including an increase in base funding for emergency forest firefighting by $30.2 million, and ensuring safety measures are in place to protect Ontario’s highly trained fire rangers from COVID-19.

In mid-May, Ontario lifted Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) designation that was put in place last month across Ontario’s fire region. The province will continue to assess forest fire hazard conditions and an RFZ designation may be reinstated in higher risk areas if conditions deteriorate. These restrictions are put in place in order to reduce the number of preventable human-caused fires and lower the risk of wildfires impacting the public.

To help stop the spread of COVID-19 fire rangers will be required to follow the health and safety guidelines recommended by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, such as physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and daily self-assessments by staff.

“This is an extraordinary period. As we put measures in place to protect our staff and the public from the pandemic, we have been taking additional steps to prepare for the wildland fire season,” said John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. “Nothing is more important than protecting the safety of people and communities across the province. Although we want people to enjoy themselves, lifting the Restricted Fire Zone designation does not mean we can let our guard down when it comes to preventing human-caused forest fires.”

The province has also implemented a more aggressive approach to fighting wildland fires this season with a focus on detecting fires early, combating them with full force and keeping them as small as possible.

“Despite the challenges of these unprecedented times, Ontario’s emergency management personnel have been proactively working with partners to prepare for potential evacuations due to the wildland fire season,” said Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General.  “Public safety remains our top priority and our Provincial Emergency Operations Centre will continue to monitor forest fire situations with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and be ready to coordinate a response if called upon for evacuation assistance.”