Poland: Current Research on Forest Fire Management in Poland (IFFN No. 10 – January 1994)

The Forest Fire Protection Structure of Poland is presented in Figure 11. The functioning of forest protection in the units of State Forests and national parks are shown in Table 5.

Table 5. Scheme of the Functioning of Forest Fire Protection in the Units of State Forests and Nationals Parks

Forest Fire Research

Since 1963 the Department of Forest Fire Protection of the Forest Research Institute has been conducted a complex study in the field of forest fire. The study comprises the three main directions:

• forest fire preventive activity

• the fire effects on the forest environment

• the methods and technical means used in fighting forest fires.

Among other types of research, studies have been made on forecasting methods of forest fire risk; forest areas are subjected to the classification according to actual of forest fire danger class; trees and stands after fire are monitored; the fire-connected loss is assessed. Processes of physicochemical combustion are also studied, forest flammable materials are subjected to quantitative and qualitative analyses and description. The causes and conditions under which fire may occur are studied; models are constructed of forest fire spread. Studies have been undertaken on activities limiting the fire spread (fire belts) and reducing fire hazard of forest stands. Studied have been also the methods of recultivation of burnt forest ground. The many years of experience enabled working out of a system of forest terrain observation and fire detection using industrial TV techniques and application of aerial techniques for forest fire detection and suppression. The Department is also an opinion making and advisory body for the structures that are functioning within the system of country-wide fire protection. It is a coordinator of communication and supervisor of forest fire danger forecasting. Another field of activity is training and public information. The output of research activities of the Department is disseminated and implemented in the form of written principles and instructions.

Preventive Measures

The following preventive measures are applied in the fire protection system of Poland:

• legislative activity: creating new legal regulations connected with forest fire protection
• public information and propaganda efforts
• rendering forest accessible so that also the forest fire protection demands be met
• construction and maintenance of fire breaks and fire belts
•  implementation of silvicultural recommendations
• training of staff involved in forest fire management.

Silvicultural recommendations

In the protection of forest against fire a number of measures are applied aimed at minimizing the potential fire danger in future. One task is to create such stands that would be in the highest possible degree biologically resistant to origin and spreading of fire. If only site conditions make it possible, coniferous monocultures are gradually converted to more fire-resistant broadleaved stands. Despite the tendency towards a growing portion of broadleaf-dominated stands in the State Forests domain (in the period 1945-2000 the index grew from the initial 13% to 22.3%) there are still possibilities to increase their share.

Another form so such silvicultural activity is the introduction of so-called “biological belts” that not only play the role of fire protection barriers but also are valuable from the biocenotic point of view: they make the forest biodiversity higher increasing thus its natural resistance. Broad-leaved tree and shrub species are selected so that they fit the site richness, prevent the occurrence of heathers and grassy vegetation. They also prevent the emergence of plantlets litter cover which is similarly as those mentioned above fire-prone. All these measures are typically long-term activities due to, among other reasons, their high cost. It is recommended that, while regenerating forest stands, possibly large numbers of accompanying and auxiliary (biocenotic) species be used. While planting forest on a burnt area it is recommended to divide the area into smaller compartments by introducing border belts consisting of several rows of broadleaf species.

Organizational-Technical Preparation of Forest Areas for Fire Event

Forested areas have to be prepared for an event of fire, both in the organizational and technical-operational respects. The starting point for the proper preparation is determining the actual class of forest fire danger of a given administration unit (Forest District, National Park etc.). The organizational-technical activity should be aimed at the establishment of the following:

1. Observation system
2. System of alarm-command communication
3. Network of access roads and fire access roads
4. Fire equipment bases
5. Water supply points
6. Forest airplane bases

1. Observation system

The system of forest area observation is aimed at possibly early detection of a fire. The system consists of:

• Network of fire lookout towers (either traditional or equipped with TV cameras)
• Aerial patrols (aerial fire detection)
• Lookout patrols (ground fire detection).

According to the decree of the minister of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry on detailed principles of fire protection of forests “during periods of degree I, II or III of forest fire risk it is obligatory to carry observations of all forest complexes larger than 100 ha…”. The monitoring needs to be organized in forests of fire danger categories I and II, while in the forest of Fire Danger Class III it has to be conducted in agreement with the local divisional commander of the State Fire Service (SFS).

Forest fire lookout towers (observation towers): All lookout towers are placed so that they ensure optimized observation of a possibly largest area. To do so it is important to know the value of so-called visibility radius. In the lowland terrain, it ranges from 10 to 15 km. Its actual value is a very important factor when making technical projects of towers network and deciding on their number. In industrial regions air transparency is to be taken into consideration: usually, the observation radius is smaller. It is also smaller in hilly terrain.

As a rule the lookout towers are elevated a few meters above the tops of tree crowns, and they are if possible placed on tops of local highest spots (hills). The absolute height of lookout towers ranges from more than 20 meters to more than 30 m. While designing the network of lookout observation points situated on the ground the following principles need to be met:

•       in those Forest Districts (FDs) and National Parks (NPs) belonging to of Forest Fire Danger Class I the monitoring is conducted of each stand from two independent observational points,
•       in those FDs and NPs belonging to Forest Fire Danger Class II the monitoring is conducted of each stand from at least one observational point,
•       in those FDs and NPs belonging to Forest Fire Danger Class III the monitoring is conducted depending on actual needs,
•       the minimum area of a forest complex or protected ground for which separate observational (monitoring) points are designed is 1000 ha in the zone of Forest Fire Danger Class I, and 2000 ha in the area of Fire Danger Class II.

The lookout observation points are located on the ground by the due Regional Directorate of State Forests (RDSF), after obligatory consultation with the adjacent RDSF. Those forest districts and national parks able to monitor the forest area of neighboring units are obliged to strictly collaborate with the neighbors. Since the 1970s the systems of Industrial Televisions (ITV) have been used for the detection of forest fires. As a result, the observer was replaced by a camera, allowing thus for the smaller cost of lookout towers.

Aerial patrolling (aerial detection): The concept to patrol forest areas by airplanes for fire detection had been developed in the 1970s. The practical implementation of the method, however, has started at the end of the 1980s. It is a very effective method of forest area monitoring due to the large observation area (depending on ceiling and velocity of the plane) and the possibility of precise detection of a situation in case of fire, and the possibility to precise leading the fire suppression units to the actual place of fire. In order to ensure such high efficiency the intervals of patrolling are 45-60 minutes. This gives the possibility (given even the most unfavorable location of the plane) to return to the point of fire origin and detect the fire still in its initial phase of propagation.

One weakness of the aerial observations is the high cost (Tab.6). Therefore, in order to make the cost low, small light planes are used. These are first of all: Wilga, Zlin, Koliber or even gliders. The patrolling plane moves along determined routes. The patrolled routes are set by the due Regional Directorate of State Forests in agreement with Forest Districts and national parks. RDSF is in charge of aerial patrols organization over its terrain. It is obligatory to organize aerial patrolling in those RDSF included to Fire Danger Classes I or II. To carry aerial patrolling is binding when either II or III degrees of forest fire risk occurs (Tab.1) and it is the alarm center of RDSF that announces the actual degree of risk. The patrol plane is equipped with a radio-telephone allowing for communication and cooperation with the State Forests communication system as well as with the communication system of the State Fire Service (SFS). It is recommended that planes be supplied with Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS) that allow precise determination of the geographical location of a fire.

Lookout-patrols (fire control patrols): In the observation system, both the lookout towers and aerial patrolling are supplemented by lookout patrols on the ground, supplied with a transportation means. Such patrolling is organized by a Forest District or National Park, particularly in the area of increased fire danger, e.g., in regions with high tourism activities, near high-intensity traffic routes and in other places lacking any monitoring. The patrols on the ground are introduced given degree III of forest fire risk. Each time the decision to launch the patrols on the ground and their area of activity is left to FD and NP.

Table 6. Fire protection activity in the State Enterprise “State Forests” in the period 1980-2000

Table 7. Protective measures of regional directorates of State Forests and National Parks depending on the actual degree of forest fire risk

2. System of alarm-command communication

The system of alarming has been based on the communication systems organized in the territorial units of State Forests and National Parks as well as in the Alarm-Command Points (ACP). The communication network is used for the running needs of forest management, but its use for forest fire protection purposes is one of the most important functions. The communication system is organized by Regional Directorate of State Forests (RDSF), in accordance with the organizational rules of work of the mobile land radio communication of RDSF. The communication network of States Forests has been under the supervision of the Director General of State Forests; in RDSF it is the Regional Director of State Forests that administers the network. It is also the Regional Director that is obliged to register the network in the State Radio Communication Agency. According to the instruction of forest area fire protection, the basic means of communication is ensured by the following equipment:

• Forest Districts of Fire Danger Class I:

–    the stationary basic radiotelephone of forestry wave frequencies with the retransmission system enabling the use of the State Fire Service frequencies,

–      radiotelephone working in the forestry frequencies (all service vehicles),

• Forest Districts of Fire Danger Classes II and III:

–      stationary basic radiotelephone of forestry wave frequencies,

–      radiotelephone working in the forestry frequencies (all service vehicles),

• Sub-districts:

–      telephone or radiotelephone, according to the local needs.

The principles of introducing radiotelephones with the retransmission system on State Fire Service frequency band are settled by regional directorates of State Forests together with Provincial Headquarters of State Fire Service.

Another element of the alarm system are the Alarm-Command Points (ACP) of particular organizational units of State Forests. Their task is to alarm their own fire units as well as those of fire services and, also, to supervise the functioning of the fire protection system in their area. The following types of alarm-command points are distinguished:

•       regional, established in a regional directorate of State Forests;
•       local, established for a group of Forest Districts;
•       primary, established in a single Forest Districts or National Parks, in the units belonging to Fire Danger Classes I or II.

If needed, auxiliary points are established in smaller units: parts of Forest Districts or even in forest ranges. In those Forest Districts belonging to Fire Danger Class III the Alarm-Command Points (ACP) are established following the actual need.

3. Network of Access Roads and Fire Access Roads

In order to make forest accessible for fire extinguish vehicles access, roads and fire access roads are built. The plan of forest management determines the existing network of roads and the target network of fire access roads and access roads to the water supply points. According to the binding forestry regulations, those forest roads serving also as fire access roads have to be maintained so that they were always usable and properly marked. They also have to be marked with a number. It is desirable that the distance of the most remote spot in the forest be no longer than:

• 750 m – in forests belonging to Fire Danger Class I;
• 1500 m – in forests belonging to Fire Danger Class II.

In forests of Fire Danger Class III it is required that roads serve all potential fireplaces, water supply points, and public roads for the fire services vehicles.

Condition of the roads is checked each time after snow thawing, after severe precipitation, military maneuvers with use of heavy equipment, after rescue actions, and also after the season of timber exporting from the forest. Any damages to roads and bridges have to be immediately repaired. It is forbidden to store timber on a road making their passage hampered.

4. Fire Equipment Bases

Forest Districts and National Parks are obliged to maintain – in places agreed with the divisional commander of State Fire Service (SFS) – the basis containing the equipment for forest fire extinguish. It is recommended to establish at least one basis for a Forest District or National Park. The bases are equipped as follows:

• Forest Districts of Fire Danger Class I:

–    forest fire-fighting equipment (medium or light, for initial attack) or a trailer with a tank able to produce a water fire fighting stream,

–    hand-operated equipment and tools – at least universal extinguishers, spades, shovels (minimum 50 items per 10,000 ha of forest),

–     forest plows for firebreak construction (min. two items).

• in Forest Districts of Fire Danger Class II:

–     forest fire-fighting equipment (light, for initial attack) or truck adjusted for the transport of 100-200 l water and pallets with forest universal extinguishers,

–     hand-operated equipment and tools – forest universal extinguishers (min. 10 items), spades, shovels (min. 30 items per 10,000 ha of forest),

–     forest plow for firebreak construction (min. one item).

• in Forest Districts of Fire Danger Class III:

–     hand operated equipment and tools – forest universal extinguishers (min. 10 items), spades, shovels (min. 30 items per 10,000 ha of forest),

–     forest plow for firebreak construction (min. one item).

The equipment bases may also be equipped with additional types of fire suppression equipment, e.g., floating pumps, fire hoses, water aggregates, branches (nozzles) and chemical extinguishing agents.

5. Water supply points

According to the binding legal regulations, it is obligatory to ensure water supply for firefighting purposes of at least 50 m³ and minimum delivery efficiency of 15 dm³/s for the forest terrain within a radius of:

• 3 km in forests of Fire Danger Class I,
• 5 km in forests of Fire Danger Class II.

The volume of water required for forests of Fire Danger Class III is to be agreed with the divisional commander of the State Fire Service. It is obligatory to ensure road access to water reservoirs and sufficient space for maneuvering. Each point of fire water intake is designated on the ground with a signboard “Water Supply Point”. Along with access roads, signs are set up, if needed, marked with a direction arrow and the text “To Water Supply Point”.

6. Forest airplane bases

Forest airplane bases are organized by Regional Directorate of State Forests (RDSF) mainly with the aim to serve as fire protection facilities but also – for the needs of other tasks connected with forest protection and silviculture. The forest airplane bases are established using also the local airports belonging to airlines or flying clubs. However, it is envisaged to establish own forest landing bases located near the forest complexes or close to water supply reservoirs. In order to use planes more efficiently in fire suppression, it is desired that in long run a network of operational landing places be established in those RDSF belonging to Forest Fire Danger Class I so that each protected forest be in reach within 10 minutes flight. The respective figure in Fire Danger Class II RDSF is 15 minutes distance. Considering those RDSF belonging to Fire Danger Class III, the operational landing places need to be established in accordance with actual demand.

Specific rules of procedures and rescue plans have to be prepared for those forest areas larger than 100 ha. Table 6 presents the technical-organizational level of State Forests ability to face fires.

Forest Fire Suppression

The organization and carrying of fire extinguish actions in Poland is a duty of the State Fire Service (SFS). This task is being conducted by the National Firefighting and Rescue System. The system consists of 496 professional rescue-fire units of SFS (grouping about 24 thousand professional firemen) and 3114 voluntary fire services (with about 73 thousand volunteer firemen). The role of volunteer fire services in extinguishing forest fires is very important: voluntary fire services are located closer to forest terrain and therefore they are often called as first to fight a fire. A weak point of them is often poor equipment: outworn equipment is not very useful in the difficult terrain condition. Some of Forest Districts have their own volunteer fire services.

Except of the above, State Forests have been in the possession of their own rescue resources, supplied with fire extinguishing equipment. Such units, so-called fire rescue groups, are established first of all in those Forest Districts belonging to of Forest Fire Danger Class I or II. Such groups have first aid outfits and hand-operated equipment, all these being useful at the initial stages of forest fires. State Forests organize, also the system of aerial patrolling and extinguishing of forest fires. The air resources are, in case of fire extinguish action, under the command of both the State Fire Service and the Forest Service.

Three levels of firefighting unit command systems are distinguished, depending on the actual size of fire and concentration of resources available for fire suppression:

•       Local level (divisional commander of State Fire Service), if only local resources (personnel and equipment) are involved – so-called initial attack or tactical intervention teams (small-to-medium size fires of area no larger than 10 ha);
•       Provincial (regional) level (provincial fire chief of State Fire Service) if fire suppression would need more resources than available at a local (county) level, or, if the fire covered at least two counties, so-called strategic command (large area fires – to 100 ha and very large ones – above 100 ha);
•      Country (central) level executed by the Chief Commandant of the State Fire Service, if fire suppression would require more resources than available at the provincial level, and each time when the fire size covers at least two provinces so-called strategic command (catastrophic fires of area exceeding 1000 ha).

Moreover, in those fires subjected to regional or central level of command, Armed Forces and Civil Protection resources may also be dispatched to assist in fire suppression.

The following equipment is used for fire suppression:

•       Hand tools (initial attack equipment), including multiple-use original water-foam extinguishers filled at the action place,
•       Other machinery operated by the Forest Service and useful in firefighting actions (bulldozers, plows, wood chippers),
•       Four-wheel drive fire-tenders (all-terrain vehicles) equipped with, e.g., high-pressure pump aggregates,
•      Airplanes and helicopters, mainly M-18 Dromader, Mi-2 and PZL Sokół.

Prescribed Burning

State Forests employees use prescribed fire (broadcast burning) in order to reduce fuel loads on clearcut areas. The rules of conducting this practice are defined in due regulations specifying the conditions under which the burning may be done and the protective measures to be undertaken.

The Nature Protection Act forbids setting fire in “meadow vegetation, pasture grounds, wasteland, ditches, along roads, train trails, or in the zones of bulrush and reed”. Burning of straw and plant wastes is admissible on agricultural lands under the condition of meeting the general rules of the Act and detailed principles set up by local self-government.

Fire (backfiring, counter fire) is occasionally used as a method of firefighting. It is mainly used when a large-size surface fire occurs or in case of stopping or containing a crown fire. This method is sometimes applied when protecting burnt terrain against another fire: burning those remained forest staff within the area of burnt place.

Fire protection connected legal regulations

The principles of forest fire prevention and control are regulated by several legal rules among which the most important are:

•      The Forest Act puts obligations on forest owners to increase the natural resistance of forest stands, and in particular, to conduct all recommended preventive and protection measures aimed at prevention the origin and expansion of fire. If not executed, it is possible to make administrative orders requiring to follow the activity suggested by the forest management plan. The Act specifies also which forest area are not available for visitors, and it makes it possible to introduce a temporary prohibition of entering forest – in case of enhanced forest fire risk. Activities are listed that increase the fire risk and that are forbidden in forest terrain.
•      The Fire Protection Act is the main legal regulation, addressing all topics related to fire protection. It also defines the persons and institutions responsible for proper forest fire prevention measures, and it also specifies the duties of those persons and institutions.
•       The Decree of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Fire Protection discusses the rules of forest fire prevention, the principles of using open fire in forests, the conditions of use of fire in forest management and the technical requirements for fire suppression (construction of fire belts, roads, water reservoirs for firefighting purposes, fire detection, bases of fire suppression equipment, rules of marking forests for fire protection purposes).
•       The Decree of the Minister of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry specifies in detail the principles of forest fire prevention measures to be undertaken by all forest owners and administrators, in an extent adequate to the actual Forest Fire Danger Class and the daily determined level (degree) of forest fire risk.
•       Instruction of Fire Protection of Forested Areas is a set of principles and instructions to be respected by the State Forests. The State Forest Service is obliged to determine the Forest Fire Danger Class of a Forest District, to carry forecasts of fire risk during the forest fire season, to conduct preventive measures including training courses and propaganda (informative) activity. Forest Districts are also obliged to prepare their area of responsibility for fire suppression through the following measures:

–          Establishment of the ground observation network points;

–          Lookout patrolmen (fire control patrols);

–          Establishment of the alarm-command points;

–          Maintenance of the communication system;

–          Building and maintenance of access roads and fire access roads;

–          Ensuring readiness of fire suppression equipment;

–          Ensuring water supply;

–          Organization of forest airplane landing strip network;

–          Preparing all necessary procedures for the case of a forest fire.

The Instruction specifies also the duties of State Forests personnel both during the fire and after it has been extinguished. Those consider, among other, the safety measures of the burnt area, determination of the fire cause and assessment of the damage.

Conclusions

Considering the future access of Poland to the European Union (EU), several tasks will have to be accomplished in order to meet the EU standards. Among those tasks somehow connected with the system of forest fire protection, the following are considered the most important ones in order to make Poland eligible for EU structural financial support:

•       Conduct forest classification with respect to fire danger in a way consistent with EU standards,
•       Modernization of forest roads,
•       Encouraging the establishment of associations private forest owners,
•       Developing the water supply system.

The fact that the absolute majority of Polish forests are under the administration of a single organization, the State Forests, allows for both effective management and prevention against fire and firefighting. The financial resources available, however, are still insufficient considering the actual situation. The role of financial aid programs of the EU has been an important help. Funds obtained this way continued to be helpful in financing many projects of technical support, e.g., in fire-danger forecasting and monitoring of forests, and for purchase of fire suppression equipment. These projects are conducted, first of all, within the cooperation programs of bordering regions of two or more states. Another very important topic will be the international collaboration in the field of meteorological cover and forest fire forecasting. This last postulate fits perfectly the 2000 recommendations of the Second Conference Baltic Conference on Forest Fires (Kuopio, Finland 2000).

References

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Ubysz, B. 1998. The evaluation of an electrophysiological method for assessing Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) individuals and stands viability after a forest cover fire. Proceedings of the 3^rd International Conference on Forest Fire Research and 14^thConference on Fire and Forest Meteorology. Luso-Coimbra, Portugal, 16-20 November 1998, 1795-1808.

Ubysz, B. 2000. Dynamics trends in forest fire risk in polish forest. Proceedings of the 2^nd Baltic Seminar and Exercise in Forest Fire Information and Resources Exchange – BALTEX FIRE 2000, 5-9 June 2000, 13pp.

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IFFN/GFMC contribution submitted by:

Barbara Ubysz
Department of Forest Fire Protection.
Forest Research Institute.
3 Bitwy Warszawskiej Street,
00-973 Warsaw
Poland

Fax:            ++48-22-715-0422
Tel:            ++48-22-715-0424
e-mail:       B.Ubysz@ibles.waw.pl
http://www.ibles.waw.pl

and

Ryszard Szczygiel
Józef Tuliszkowski’s Scientific and Research
Centre for Fire Protection
ul. Nadwislanska 213
05-420 Józefów
Poland

Fax:            +48-22-789-3148
Tel:            +48-22-789-4681
e-mail:       cnbop@cnbop.pl
http://www.cnbop.pl

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IFFN No. 27
Country Notes