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Initial Attack Crews: A three-person initial attack crew or airtankers are usually the first to the scene. The goal is to contain wildfires at four hectares or smaller, minimizing costs and damage. Quick response when fires are small ensures initial attack resources are quickly available for the next fire.
Crews arrive at the fire site with hand tools, chainsaws and water pumps that draw water from nearby streams, rivers and lakes. To stop the fire from spreading, crews remove fuel, oxygen or heat from the fire. If the fire is spreading quickly, airtankers and helicopters may be used.
Once the flames have been controlled, crews work to contain the fire by building a fireguard, which is when all forest fuels are around the perimeter of the fire are removed either by hand or heavy machinery.
Once contained, the fire is mopped up by ensuring that all burning material has been extinguished by cold trailing. Cold trailing involves feeling for burning materials with bare hands and extinguishing any embers found.
Sustained Attack: Some fires cannot be contained by initial attack and require a sustained attack. This usually occurs when the fire conditions are extreme because of weather, topography and/or forest fuel conditions.
At the scene, an assessment is made as to whether or not an initial attack will be successful. If the Incident Commander determines a sustained attack will be needed, additional fire control resources are immediately requested. Resources include firefighters, airtankers, helicopters and heavy equipment such as bulldozers, excavators, skidders and water tankers.
An Incident Management Team will be dispatched to larger or more complex fires. Members of Incident Management Teams all have extensive experience in fire behaviour, fire suppression methods, laws and regulations and agency responsibilities.
Fires requiring a sustained attack also usually require the installation of facilities or fire camps to house and support crews, equipment, fuel, retardant and communications and information.
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