PUAFIR303B Suppress wildfire

Revision Number: 1

PUAFIR303B Suppress wildfire

Modification History

Not applicable.

Unit Descriptor

Unit Descriptor	This unit covers competency while working as a member of a team when suppressing a wildfire and is often undertaken without direct supervision.

Application of the Unit

Application of the Unit	The application of this unit in the workplace - the environments, complexities and situations involved - will be written during Phase II of the Review of the PUA00 Public Safety Training Package. This text will be useful for the purposes of job descriptions, recruitment advice or job analysis; where possible, it will not be too job specific to allow other industries to import it into other Training Packages, where feasible.

Licensing/Regulatory Information

Not applicable.

Pre-Requisites

Prerequisite Unit/s	PUAFIR204B Respond to wildfire

Employability Skills Information

Employability Skills	This unit contains employability skills.

Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a Unit of Competency.	Performance Criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the Required Skills and Knowledge and/or the Range Statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the Evidence Guide.

Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT	PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
1. Receive and report details of wildfire	1.1 Details of the fire's location and development of the fire are received and recorded 1.2 Fire details are reported in accordance with the organisation's procedures
2. Prepare to respond to fire	2.1 The location of and access to the wildfire are confirmed and the most effective route is ascertained 2.2 Required organisational equipment, protective clothing, apparel, food and water required are assessed and procured before departure 2.3 The most appropriate method of transport to the wildfire is selected and used
3. Proceed to fire	3.1 The location of the wildfire is confirmed from observation or by direction while on approach 3.2 Access to area is determined and achieved with minimum injury to personnel or damage to vehicles, equipment or environmentally sensitive areas 3.3 The safety of people in the wildfire area is assessed and monitored 3.4 Evidence of the wildfire cause is noted and brought to the attention of the appropriate authority 3.5 Navigational tools are used for planning and operational purposes
4. Protect people	4.1 As far as conditions allow, the number and location of people in the threatened area is determined 4.2 Appropriate evacuation or non-evacuation protocols are identified and applied or advised to persons in the path of a wildfire 4.3 Access to hazardous locations is controlled 4.4 The safe defensibility of property is evaluated and assistance is provided to help occupiers 4.5 Advice and support is provided to occupiers in helping them safely defend their property 4.6 The safety of people in the threatened area is monitored during the course of the fire 4.7 The safety of people in the area is checked and confirmed after the passing of the fire
5. Combat wildfire	5.1 Media and equipment are selected and used to allow wildfire control operations to be conducted effectively and safely in accordance with the organisation's procedures and OH&S procedures 5.2 The most suitable location from which to use equipment to commence wildfire control operations is selected 5.3 Access to the selected area of operations is gained in the safest and most effective manner 5.4 Fire hazards are identified and action taken to minimise the risk of injury to the public, personnel and self 5.5 Fire control strategies and tactics are employed to achieve the objectives in accordance with the organisation's procedures 5.6 Fire control activities undertaken minimise overall damage and impact on the environment 5.7 Potential fire behaviour is considered and acted upon to ensure safety and achievement of objective 5.8 Fuel, weather and topographical factors are observed and potential fire behaviour anticipated 5.9 The effectiveness of tactics employed is reported to the supervisor 5.10 Area of origin and evidence of fire cause is protected and brought to attention of supervisor or relevant authority 5.11 Safe egress and/or refuge from the fire is identified and communicated to personnel
6. Conduct mop-up and patrol activities	6.1 Mop-up and patrol activities are carried out effectively and safely to the distance determined by the Incident Controller 6.2 Patrol of the perimeter or sector of the fire is maintained in accordance with the organisation's procedures and guidelines
7. Recover and maintain equipment	7.1 Equipment is made up and made ready for operational use in accordance with the organisation's procedures 7.2 Damaged or missing equipment is replaced, recorded and/or reported in accordance with the organisation's procedures

Required Skills and Knowledge

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.
Required Skills
wildfire control and suppression; back burning; use of wildfire control tools and equipment map reading and interpretation detection of hot spots, stags, unsecured wildfire perimeter, mop-up activities
Required Knowledge
Firefighting Protocols organisation policy; direct, indirect, parallel attack; wet, dry firefighting; backburning (ground, aerial); control lines and firebreaks; defensive firefighting tactics Fire attack procedures standard operating procedures; reporting; patrol; mop-up; briefings/instructions; identification of cause Safety organisation first-aid requirements; fireground hazards; procedures for dealing with injury; safety near vehicles and machines; briefings; team work Fuel and its impact on fire behaviour moisture content, quantity, type, arrangement and distribution, size, drought effects, curing Fire behaviour rate of spread, flame height and intensity, spotting, fire development, junction zones Topography and its impact on fire behaviour slope, aspect, physical features, turbulence Weather factors which impact on fire behaviour wind direction and speed wind changes temperature relative humidity atmospheric stability

Evidence Guide

EVIDENCE GUIDE
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit	For this unit it is essential that competence be demonstrated by: anticipating and reacting to changing wildfire behaviour observing and reacting to weather behaviour undertaking dry wildfire control activity use of extinguishing media maintaining health and safety of self, other workers and people in the wildfire area completing mop-up and patrol reading maps and navigation Consistency in performance Evidence should be gathered over a period of time in a range of actual or simulated workplace environments
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Context of assessment A combination of oral or written presentation, observation, on the job and/or in a range of simulated environments Specific resources for assessment access to controlled fires availability of wildfire control equipment
Guidance information for assessment	Information that will assist or guide assessment will be written during Phase II of the Review of the PUA00 Public Safety Training Package.

Range Statement

RANGE STATEMENT
The Range Statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the Performance Criteria is detailed below.
Types of wildfire must include	ground surface and crown fire
Fuel types may include	grass crop forest plantation heath
Fuel features which will impact on fire development must include	type size arrangement/distribution quantity seasonal effects effects of drought moisture content
Wildfire extinguishing media must include	water
and may also include	wetting agents Class A foam fire suppressants (short and long term)/earth retardants
Wildfire extinguishing equipment must include	tanker hand tool hose and small gear pump
and may also include	aircraft ropes and lines knap sack chainsaw
Types of firefighting strategies must include	offensive strategy defensive strategy combined strategy direct attack parallel attack indirect attack flank attack combination attack reconnaissance mop-up patrol
Access methods may include by	vehicle aircraft boat foot
Topographic factors which may impact on fire development must include	elevation slope wind turbulence local wind effects botanical effects aspect
Weather factors which may impact on fire development must include	wind direction and speed wind changes temperature relative humidity atmospheric stability cold fronts local effects adiabatic winds katabatic winds sea breezes land breezes
Personal protective clothing and equipment must include	turnout uniform and gloves eye protection hearing protection respiratory protection
and may also include	protective hoods accessories as per organisational standards
Ancillary activities may include	provision and transport of food, water, fuel and equipment of an incident aircraft operations working with earthmoving equipment
Navigational aids must include	maps compass
and may also include	geographical information systems global positioning satellites aerial photographs
Wildfire hazards must include	heat-related illness (heat exhaustion and dehydration) fatigue smoke inhalation burns sprain or fracture trips/falls snake or insect bite lack of visibility falling branches and trees rolling objects falling objects manual handling disorientation water bombing operation environmental
Fire behaviour is evidenced by	rate of spread flame height and intensity spotting fire development terrain, topography fuel load and arrangement weather conditions - winds, fire whirls

Unit Sector(s)

Not applicable.

Corequisite Unit/s

Co-requisite Unit/s	Nil