Backdraft How to recognise it and respond safely.

Part 1 Shan Raffel GIFireE

There is still some confusion about what exactly a backdraft is. The IFE Dictionary of Fire Technology uses the following definition: "An explosion, of greater or lesser degree, caused by the inrush of fresh air from any source or cause, into a burning building, where combustion has been taking place in a shortage of air." The NFPA definition is: "The explosive or rapid burning of heated gases that occurs when oxygen is introduced into a building that has not been properly ventilated and has a depleted supply of oxygen due to fire." Basically there has been an accumulation of smoke gases in a compartment (containing unburnt fuel particles) due to a lack of ventilation. Heat will be retained in the structure for some time (depending on the insulation qualities) and there will also be smouldering contents. The missing ingredient is sufficient oxygen to allow for combustion. The ignition mechanism can take a number of forms. a) Opening up the compartment can cause an inrush of air that stirs up embers or gradually rekindles the smouldering contents. In the process the Air Track into the compartment tend have the effect of premixing the accumulated fuel and the air. The more efficient the mixing process, the more powerful the resultant pressure wave. b) Where the smoke temperature is very high (above the Auto Ignition Temperature) it is possible for the escaping gases to spontaneously ignite once diluted with the fresh air. The resulting fireball can propagate back into the burning compartment and trigger the backdraft. In the mid nineteen seventies, Swedish Fire Engineer Krister Giselsson used the termed Hot Rich Flashover to describe this ignition mechanism. Perhaps a better description is Hot Rich Combustion. No matter what it is called it is very important for firefighters to be aware of this trigger event. A very simple way of describing backdraft is:

ACCUMULATED FUEL + RESIDUAL HEAT

INTRODUCED OXYGEN (AIR)

BACKDRAFT

Photo 1 shows hot rich smoke leaving the compartment above the auto ignition temperature. At the point where the fuel in the smoke has diluted to the UFL, auto ignition occurs. Photo courtesy Tim Watkins.

INDICATORS. Before we can attempt to safely deal with fire phenomena such as backdraft and flashover we must be able to identify the warning signs. A vital part of the dynamic risk assessment is being able to determine the various stages of fire development, and likely changes. The skill of reading the fire is essential in ensuring the correct firefighting strategy and tactics are deployed. To simplify the process of reading the fire I use the acronym SAHF. A Smoke, Air, Heat, Flame. This assessment should be made by the OIC as part of the overall dynamic risk assessment, and also by tasked teams to assess the risk in their area of operations. As more information becomes available it should be relayed to the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) and the OIC so that a more accurate profile of the fire can be developed and maintained. In this article I will discuss the first 2 indicators. In the next paper I will finish off the indicators and look at how the SAHF assessment can be used in the development of an initial tactical plan. 1. SMOKE Colour and density: Smoke colour can vary with the products and the ventilation available. There are some general principles that can be used in that initial size up.

Dark smoke often indicates rich conditions due to restricted air supply. Where flaming or smouldering combustion is occurring the carbon in the product is released in the smoke and a dark colour is the result. Where the temperature is low, or oxygen levels are too low to support flaming combustion, the product breaks down (pyrolysis) with out active flaming and most of the carbon remains on the material. This produces a lighter coloured smoke. It is important to realise that as the fire develops heat will be transferred to neighbouring compartments, which can result in pyrolysis and an accumulating of fuel laden white smoke. As the fire progresses the smoke layer will lower and the density of the smoke layer will increase. Photo 2 clearly shows the lighter pyrolysis products on the top left-hand opening (no communication with the other compartments). The top right hand compartment is in communication with the base fire and the dark smoke indicates a rich (ventilation controlled) combustion process. Photo courtesy Wayne Atkins

Volume and location. While the location of the smoke can be a valuable aid in determining the location of the fire, it can also be deceptive in large or complex structures. Likewise the volume of the smoke discharging can be misleading as some products can produce surprisingly high volumes of smoke from a relatively small fire. Height of neutral plane. (The separation of the heated layer and the cooler lower layer). The height of the neutral plane gives an indication of the stage of fire development and the volume of unburnt fuel in the room. A very low neutral plane with dense smoke is a good indicator of the potential for a backdraft. Sudden lifting of the neutral plane can indicate that high ventilation has occurred. Sudden lowering can

indicate that a confined fire may have broken out into the remainder of the structure.

Photos 3 and 4 show the gradual lowering of the neutral plane. They were taken approximately 60 seconds apart. Photo courtesy Tim Watkins. Pulsations Smoke seen pulsing out of small openings can indicate a ventilation-controlled fire. This is due to variations in pressure due to limited oxygen supply. As the oxygen level decreases so does the combustion process, which decreases the temperature and leads to a contraction of the smoke gases. This causes air to be drawn in and the fire starts to increase and the pressure rises. As the fire starts to grow again there is an increase in the volume of smoke which is forced out through gaps. This continues until the air is consumed. The cycle then starts again. This pulsation cycle is a good backdraft indicator.

2. AIR TRACK The air track is the movement of air toward the firebase, and the movement of the super heated combustion products out of the compartment. Velocity and Direction When an opening is created the heated gases will flow out of the top of the opening and cool air will flow in through the bottom of the opening. A total and sudden inward movement of the air track could indicate a potential backdraft event. In some cases this will be followed by an out rush, and seconds later the backdraft. Flow Turbulent or smooth If the air track is slow and laminar (smooth) it could indicate that the fire is in the early stages and most likely still fuel controlled. If the air track is fast and turbulent (often the neutral plane is lower as well) then this could indicate a working fire that is in the ventilation controlled phase. Vigorous pulsing of the air track is a strong indicator of an active ventilation controlled fire. Whistling Noises Whistling noises may indicate that air is being pushed in and out of the compartment through small gaps or openings due to pressure variations. This indicates a ventilation controlled fire. It should be noted that it might be difficult to detect this when there are high background noise levels.

The opinions expressed in this paper are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer. For more information contact Shan Raffel GIFireE at sraffel@uq.net.au Or at the IFE Australia CFBT and Tactical Firefighting Web Community at:
http://groups.msn.com/CompartmentFireBehaviourTraining

Shan Raffel is a professional firefighter in Brisbane, Australia. He has served as an operational firefighter for over 20 years and a Station Officer for 14 of those years. He has studied realistic compartment fire behaviour training (CFBT) in Sweden and the UK and has pioneered the acceptance of CFBT in Australia.