The Trident mobile high-volume water delivery system is self-contained. The main components of the system are two UTVs, a 200 hp high-volume pump, and 7000 feet (2134 m) of 4-inch hose. It can deliver 500 gpm of water at 190 psi in a wildfire operational situation. Alberta Wildfire asked FPInnovations to document three deployments in 2021 to identify opportunities for using the system and to reduce the knowledge gaps around best practices for deployment.
Debris piles were scattered among a fuel-treated stand at the Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest. The existing trees were deemed as assets worth protecting while the piles required to be burned. To facilitate the protection of the trees surrounding these debris piles, the Calgary Forest Area requested the use of water-enhancer capable fire engines to protect the trees during debris pile burning.
A total of 15 debris piles of varying fuel loads were burned over two days. The use of water-enhancer capable fire engines allowed FPInnovations to document the use of suppressants (water and water-enhancer) to better understand their advantages and limitations. Qualitative observations suggested that water-enhancers were more effective at withstanding radiant heat than water when applied immediately prior to the incident heat. Its efficacy, however, was found to decline with time.
Multiple log-deck fires at mill sites and log yards in Western Canada in the past year resulted in the loss of merchantable timber. These fires showcased how existing equipment and suppression efforts from wildfire agencies are heavily challenged when asked to handle the thermal output from burning log-decks.
In an effort to explore alternate solutions, FPInnovations collaborated with West Fraser and the High Level Forest Management Area to understand the efficacy of high-volume water delivery systems in log-deck fire suppression. Over the course of three days, water-penetration tests as well as suppression tests were carried out to better understand the utility and resource requirements of high-volume water delivery systems.
A human-caused wildfire was started on May 6, 2021 in Parkland County, Alberta near the rural community of Tomahawk. Among several Alberta Wildfire resources deployed to the wildfire, one particular resource was high-volume water delivery systems provided by Fire & Flood Emergency Service Ltd.
Alberta Wildfire asked FPInnovations to document the implementation of high-volume water delivery systems in actioning a peatland wildfire as a case study.
FPInnovations has been conducting a series of field testing on wood mid-rise and tall wood buildings, including this 4-story mass timber building in Vancouver, to measure their dynamic performance. The general objectives of the field measurements of the building wind-induced vibrations and sound insulation performance are to develop improved knowledge and assemble a database of wind-induced vibration and sound insulation performance of mid-rise and tall-wood buildings. Ambient vibration and ASTM acoustic testing were performed to measure the dynamic performance of the building including the building natural frequencies, damping ratios and mode shapes. It was found that the measured first natural frequency and damping ratio of this building are overall similar to those measured from other 4-storey buildings that have exhibited good wind-induced vibration performance. The measured apparent impact insulation performance (AIIC) of 58 is considered as a satisfactory sound insulation performance indicator according to FPInnovations’ field experience about occupant satisfaction. It is believed that the test results will help the designers to obtain insight into the construction details of the building and the correlations between the details and the final performances in terms of building dynamic and sound insulation performance. Furthermore, the test results provided reliable data on the vibration and the sound insulation performance of the selected floor assemblies. The measured AIIC, building natural frequencies, and damping ratios can provide technical reference to architects and engineers to verify their designs and the design tools used.
Hügelkultur as a debris management technique in forest fuel reduction treatments. Developing a research plan to evaluate the flammability of constructed debris piles (hugels)
Disposal of woody debris and vegetative matter from forest fuel reduction treatments is a challenge and alternatives to conventional methods of pile burning and chipping are being considered. The construction of hugels is proposed as a debris management technique that would configure debris on site in a less flammable state. This research design presents considerations for development of an experimental burn site, test methods, and data collection methods that can be applied in evaluating and comparing the flammability of hugels constructed with different fuel components and construction methods.
Disposal of woody debris and vegetative matter from forest fuel reduction treatments is a challenge and alternatives to conventional methods of pile burning and chipping are being considered. The construction of hugels is proposed as a debris management technique that would configure debris on site in a less flammable state. Flammability of piled debris (hugels) and the productivity of hugel construction are key considerations in assessing the viability of this debris disposal method.
Another consideration in assessing hügelkultur as a long-term debris management strategy is the decomposition of hugels and the evolving flammability of hugels. Research literature does not speak directly to the changing flammability of piled debris (and more specifically hugels), but this literature search attempts to locate material relevant to decomposition of woody debris in a hugelkultur environment.
Hügelkultur as a debris management technique in forest fuel reduction treatments. A comparative productivity evaluation of a fuel reduction treatment incorporating hugels
Disposal of woody debris and vegetative matter from forest fuel reduction treatments is a challenge and alternatives to conventional methods of pile burning and chipping are being considered. The construction of hugels is proposed as a debris management technique that would configure debris on site in a less flammable state. While flammability of piled debris (hugels) is a key consideration in the viability of this debris disposal method, the cost of the operation must also be considered.
This research design presents the development of test methods and data collection methods that can be applied in evaluating the productivity of a fuel reduction treatment that incorporates construction of hugels as a debris management tool. Comparative productivity trials will evaluate these productivity results in relation to fuel treatments that apply conventional debris disposal methods.
This report documents the field performance of wood posts protected with a variety of technologies and exposed in Canadian test sites for 6 to 20 years. Barrier wraps on untreated posts were associated with increased service life under some, but not all, conditions. Further exposure time is needed to assess the impact of barrier wraps on the performance of preservative treated posts. Jack pine posts treated with basic copper carbonate (no co-biocide) showed early stages of decay after 10-years while untreated controls had mostly failed. This suggests a potential solution for organic agriculture. The use of a spike or boot was associated with a lower extent of decay than posts that were installed directly in the ground.
Deep energy retrofitting of existing buildings has become critically important to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from the built environment. It will also conserve older buildings and make them more comfortable, durable, and climate resilient. One of the most effective approaches is exterior retrofitting through adding prefabricated insulative panels to the exterior walls and roofs to improve a building envelope’s thermal performance. Such activities could provide a sizable market for wood-based systems, particularly for retrofitting the housing stock of older low-rise wood-frame buildings in Canada and the United States. This document aims to keep the Canadian wood industry and prefabrication providers abreast of this potential
market by providing a brief overview about the background, technical solutions, and potential barriers of such retrofitting.
