Foam in Forest Firefighting

B Marsden

This paper sets out the history of Class A Foam use in Victoria, giving full details of equipment development and the advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches.

The nature of water makes its conservation difficult, since it evaporates, beads up and will not penetrate or stick to vertical surfaces. One method which assists with overcoming these difficulties is adding foam compound to the water.

In Victoria, from the mid 1950's until the early 1980's, water was treated with "wetting agent" to reduce the surface tension of the solution, and allow it to spread and penetrate fuels more effectively. Wetting agent plus water was known as "wet water". Wetting agent was available in powder form in cellophane packs from the mid-fifties, and as a liquid in more serviceable plastic packs from the mid-sixties. It was introduced directly into the water tank, then mixed in by vehicle motion or by pump impeller rotation. Although it was an advance over using plain water, "wet water" could not be made into foam. Also, pump priming problems due to cavitation were frequent. An improvement had to be found, and the answer lay in both equipment development and the introduction of Class A Foam.

Following reports of successful trials in Canada and France, in which Class A foams proved superior to wetting agents for wildfire suppression, foams were introduced into the forest fire operations in the early 1980's

What's so good about foam?

Foam is visible and sticky. The ability to see where it has been applied avoids over-treatment, and thinning areas pinpoint where the foam is breaking down, so identifying hot spots. Its stickiness enables foam to cling to vertical surfaces, providing an insulating blanket which reflects radiant heat and reduces waste through run off.

The above introduction is based on this article from 1995
and there is additional detail in this paper from 1996.

 

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Barry Marsden

Barry grew up in East Gippsland, Victoria, in the small timber town of Cabbage Tree which consisted of five sawmills (where his father was a bulldozer operator for one of the mills), a local store and a primary school. The family moved to Orbost in about 1955 when he and his two sisters commenced high school.

Following high school Barry completed an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic at a local garage, Merlin Motors, a respected family business.

In 1966 he joined the Forests Commission at Orbost, initially working with the crew on the Errinundra Plateau road construction program where he was trained in the use of explosives to clear trees and rocks from the proposed road line.

Following a vehicle accident in late 1966, Barry took over the repair and maintenance of the Commission’s vehicle fleet at Orbost. In 1969 he married and transferred to Bairnsdale from where he maintained the region’s heavy plant equipment from a base at Bruthen.

So that he would have experience in the operation and procedures of a large workshop, in 1970 Barry was transferred to the Commission’s main plant engineers’ workshop in Newport, Melbourne, and in 1971 he joined the Commission’s Transport Branch as a Technical Assistant to the Transport Officer.

In 1972 Barry became Assistant Fire Equipment Development Officer at the Forests Commission’s Fire Equipment Development Centre at Altona and was promoted to Manager in 1983.

In 1988 he was sent to Canada on a six-week study tour hosted by Aviation Company - Conair to seek out alternative fire equipment technology and innovative ideas to improve on that which was in use by the Department in Victoria.

In 1990, with increasing interest in the use of Class A foams for quelling fire, Barry represented Victorian land management agencies on the North West Coordinating Group Fire Equipment Working Team’s Task Group for International/Interagency Foams and Application Systems. From 1992, he represented the Department at annual forums of the National Fire Equipment Development Officers Group whose aim was to co-ordinate the research, development and supply of fire equipment by member organisations of Fire Control Officers Group.

Barry represented Australia at the International Fire Equipment Working Group and Fire Equipment Working Team biannual joint meetings to share current trends, innovation and experiences in firefighting. He continued to participate at both National and International fire equipment forums until his retirement in 2010.

Hosted by the Overseas Projects Corporation in 1995, Barry was sent to Western Samoa to train local fire personnel in the use of fire fighting equipment purchased from the Department, and the operation of Class A foam technology.

In 2000 and 2002 he was part of an Australian contingent of fire fighters who travelled to the USA to assist American fire crews combatting large forest fires during extremely dry conditions. Queen’s Birthday Honours saw Barry awarded an AFSM in 1988 for distinguished service as a member of the Victorian Fire Services, and an Order of Australia (AM) in 2012 for Service to Public Administration in Victoria in the Fire and Emergency Services Sector and to the Development of Innovative Fire Fighting Equipment and Technologies.

 

Barry Marsden

Barry grew up in East Gippsland, Victoria, in the small timber town of Cabbage Tree which consisted of five sawmills (where his father was a bulldozer operator for one of the mills), a local store and a primary school. The family moved to Orbost in about 1955 when he and his two sisters commenced high school.

Following high school Barry completed an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic at a local garage, Merlin Motors, a respected family business.

In 1966 he joined the Forests Commission at Orbost, initially working with the crew on the Errinundra Plateau road construction program where he was trained in the use of explosives to clear trees and rocks from the proposed road line.

Following a vehicle accident in late 1966, Barry took over the repair and maintenance of the Commission’s vehicle fleet at Orbost. In 1969 he married and transferred to Bairnsdale from where he maintained the region’s heavy plant equipment from a base at Bruthen.

So that he would have experience in the operation and procedures of a large workshop, in 1970 Barry was transferred to the Commission’s main plant engineers’ workshop in Newport, Melbourne, and in 1971 he joined the Commission’s Transport Branch as a Technical Assistant to the Transport Officer.

In 1972 Barry became Assistant Fire Equipment Development Officer at the Forests Commission’s Fire Equipment Development Centre at Altona and was promoted to Manager in 1983.

In 1988 he was sent to Canada on a six-week study tour hosted by Aviation Company - Conair to seek out alternative fire equipment technology and innovative ideas to improve on that which was in use by the Department in Victoria.

In 1990, with increasing interest in the use of Class A foams for quelling fire, Barry represented Victorian land management agencies on the North West Coordinating Group Fire Equipment Working Team’s Task Group for International/Interagency Foams and Application Systems. From 1992, he represented the Department at annual forums of the National Fire Equipment Development Officers Group whose aim was to co-ordinate the research, development and supply of fire equipment by member organisations of Fire Control Officers Group.

Barry represented Australia at the International Fire Equipment Working Group and Fire Equipment Working Team biannual joint meetings to share current trends, innovation and experiences in firefighting. He continued to participate at both National and International fire equipment forums until his retirement in 2010.

Hosted by the Overseas Projects Corporation in 1995, Barry was sent to Western Samoa to train local fire personnel in the use of fire fighting equipment purchased from the Department, and the operation of Class A foam technology.

In 2000 and 2002 he was part of an Australian contingent of fire fighters who travelled to the USA to assist American fire crews combatting large forest fires during extremely dry conditions. Queen’s Birthday Honours saw Barry awarded an AFSM in 1988 for distinguished service as a member of the Victorian Fire Services, and an Order of Australia (AM) in 2012 for Service to Public Administration in Victoria in the Fire and Emergency Services Sector and to the Development of Innovative Fire Fighting Equipment and Technologies.