Tactical Change in Firefighting in Upper Valais Proves Successful
Published: Monday, Jul 24th 2023, 14:40
تم التحديث في: الجمعة، 13 أكتوبر 2023، الساعة 14:12:14
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In the Oberwallis forest fire area, the emergency services were able to successfully extinguish numerous embers and smaller fires on Monday. The change in tactics for fighting the fire has proven successful according to the command staff. Since Sunday, the firefighting helicopters have no longer been dropping water over large areas of fire and embers. Ground teams consisting of a forest worker, a flight assistant and four to five firefighters have been using thermal data from the army to locate embers and expose them. The helicopter is then directed precisely and 900 litres of water is released from a very low height directly over the ember. Around 100 such embers and small fires are estimated to be in the area. A single ember with a circumference of a few square metres must sometimes be broken up to a metre deep with a pickaxe and shovel. Temperatures of over 300 degrees have been measured in some of these embers, according to the command staff on Monday afternoon. Up to a dozen flights, or more than 10,000 litres, may be necessary to extinguish stubborn embers. However, the extinguishing water can also cause problems. When 900 litres of water reach the steep forest floor all at once, it can cause small mudslides and rockfall. Therefore, the ground teams are working with the utmost caution and concentration to prevent accidents and protect themselves and their colleagues. Trees are only felled occasionally, either to extinguish a burning tree or because the tree poses a danger to the emergency services or obstructs the pilots on approach.
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