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Loggers and logging equipment for wildland firefighting

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_projects/1j92gd121

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  • The three most expensive wildland fire suppression seasons have occurred since 2000, each exceeding $1 billion. Many problems and issues have been highlighted including the grounding of the federal air tanker fleet, training problems with private contractors, overspending, poor management strategies, negative public pefceptions, and the inability to utilize the safest and most efficient suppression resources available. Technology used by today's loggers has revolutionized many aspects of forest operations. The equipment available can safely and efficiently move earth, cut trees, remove dangerous fuels, and reduce the hazardous exposure to people. Because many of these tasks overlap those of wildland fire suppression, it is logical to incorporate these machines into firefighting. Private landowners are already required by law to fight fires in the state of Oregon, and the suppression systems employed may be successfully applied on larger federal fires. The biggest factor for investigating the potentials of logging machinery is safety, especially the protection that machine cabs offer. In areas where vegetation and terrain are favorable to the use of equipment, there is no reason to endanger 111 firefighters by assigning tasks that can be performed more safely and more efficiently by logging equipment. This paper covers the use of forest technologies in wildiand firefighting. Safety regulations, training concerns, and equipment issuesincluding an engineering stability analysis of equipment modified with water tanks. Also covered are attempts to improve wildland firefighting in the region through the founding of the Pacific Northwest Wildfire Equipment Group (PNWEG). Conclusions and recommendations based on the research are offered.
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