Direct attack on wildland fires can be undertaken with hand tools if flames are _____.

Direct attack on wildland fires can be undertaken with hand tools if flames are _____.

• A. 6 ft or less
• B. 8 ft or less
• C. 4 ft or less
• D. 2 ft or less

Answer: (C)

Direct attack with hand tools is feasible when flame height is four feet or less. At that height you can get close enough to rake and smother the edge or apply water while keeping heat exposure at a manageable level, reducing the risk of burnover and radiant heat injuries. When flames are taller than about four feet, radiant heat and convection increase dramatically, making a close, hand-tool suppression unsafe and more likely to fail. In those cases, firefighters typically switch to indirect methods or take a safer approach, like building lines from a protected position. So the four feet or less rule captures the practical safety limit for using hand tools to directly attack a wildland fire.

Direct attack with hand tools is feasible when flame height is four feet or less. At that height you can get close enough to rake and smother the edge or apply water while keeping heat exposure at a manageable level, reducing the risk of burnover and radiant heat injuries. When flames are taller than about four feet, radiant heat and convection increase dramatically, making a close, hand-tool suppression unsafe and more likely to fail. In those cases, firefighters typically switch to indirect methods or take a safer approach, like building lines from a protected position. So the four feet or less rule captures the practical safety limit for using hand tools to directly attack a wildland fire.