The 2017 wildfire season has been a hot one. Blazes across the United States have charred over two million acres so far. That number is far higher than average.
Despite record-breaking blazes, crews still fight flames with only outdated fire shelters for emergency protection. The foil-lined, heat-resistant tarps failed to save 19 firefighters in Arizona four years ago. The worst part? Crews will need to wait an undetermined length of time before getting better shelters.
Tony Petrilli, a fire shelter project leader for the U.S. Forest Service explains, “The reason there isn’t [a new shelter] is because there were no great options.”
In 1994, Petrilli took refuge in a shelter. He escaped serious injury or death. But 14 of his colleagues died. Their shelters didn’t offer enough protection.
Petrilli’s experience led to the development in 2002 of the shelter firefighters use today.
That was 15 years ago. Now the Forest Service wants to replace that model with an even more protective one.
But the effort faces serious setbacks. Despite help from NASA, research universities, and private companies, an upgraded shelter won’t be available for next year’s fire season.
“We’re not having a whole lot of success,” says Mark Ackerman. He helped develop the 2002 shelter. Ackerman is helping the government test new designs.
Scientists need to create a shelter that can fight two types of heat: radiant—felt standing near flames, and convective—felt when touching fire.
Today’s shelters reflect 95% of radiant heat. Firefighters have survived in them for an hour with brief exposure to direct flames. The challenge is making the shelters last as fire surrounds them.
Petrilli’s 1994 shelter could last only seconds in direct flames. The 2002 model can withstand direct flames and 2,000 degrees for about one minute. The Forest Service wants a shelter that can withstand those conditions longer.
Ackerman estimates a shelter with double protection would also be double the weight. Firefighters already carry 40–50 pounds each. Experts say more weight isn’t an option.
Another issue for researchers has been the bag holding the fire shelter. The PVC case becomes hot and difficult to open—not a helpful feature in an emergency.
Recent testing shows some promise in finding materials that both fight heat and weigh less. A new PVC bag is being tested. But more research is needed.
Montana-based smokejumper Dan Cottrell has been fighting fires since 1995. He says carrying a shelter is worth the extra weight.
He says, “People are pretty aware of their limitations, but it’s better than nothing.”
