How do weather and terrain contribute to firefighter entrapments in Australia?

Authors

Sebastien Lahaye, University of New South Wales
Jason J. Sharples, University of New South Wales
Stuart Matthews, NSW Rural Fire ServiceFollow
Simon Simon Heemstra, Nsw Rural Fire Service
Owen F. Price, University of WollongongFollow
Rachel Badlan, University of New South Wales

RIS ID

122619

Publication Details

Lahaye, S., Sharples, J., Matthews, S., Heemstra, S., Price, O. & Badlan, R. (2018). How do weather and terrain contribute to firefighter entrapments in Australia?. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 27 (2), 85-98.

Abstract

Adverse weather conditions and topographic influences are suspected to be responsible for most entrapments of firefighters in Australia. A lack of temporally and spatially coherent set of data however, hinders a clear understanding of the contribution of each weather type or terrain driver on these events. We investigate coronial inquiries and internal fire agencies reports across several Australian states from 1980 to 2017 and retrieve 45 entrapments. A first analysis reveals that most entrapments happen during large fires and that the number of deaths has decreased over the last few decades. Comparing the meteorological and topographical conditions of the entrapments with the conditions of a reference set of fires without entrapment, we build a linear regression model that identifies the main contributors to firefighter entrapment. A change in wind direction, which was associated with 42% of the incidents examined, is the main factor contributing to entrapments. Interaction between strong winds and steep slopes also influences the likelihood of entrapment and suggests that dynamic fire behaviours may also play important roles. As further details of this relationship between dynamic fire propagation and firefighter entrapment is now required, the understanding of weather and terrain contribution is a first step to produce comprehensive safety guidance.