Structural Firefighting Under High Wind Conditions SOG
Wind can rapidly change fire behavior, heat conditions, and survival inside a structure fire. This reference document provides strategic and tactical guidance for structural firefighting under high wind conditions. Wind may affect fire growth, flow path, ventilation, and interior operations.
The guideline notes that wind speeds as low as 10 mph can increase the hazards of interior firefighting. Fire officers and firefighters should consider wind speed and direction during initial size-up. They should also monitor and report wind conditions throughout the incident.
Key Operational Considerations
This document supports tactical decision games involving structural firefighting under high wind conditions. It reinforces several key points:
- Recognize wind speed and direction as critical fire behavior factors.
- Communicate the potential for wind-driven fire conditions as a safety message.
- Consider exterior water application from the upwind side before interior operations.
- Use the wind to tactical advantage when attacking wind-driven fires.
- Maintain door control and limit unplanned ventilation.
- Avoid operating in the exhaust portion of the flow path.
- Identify refuge areas, escape routes, and safety zones before and during interior operations.
Wind Size-Up Cues
The document also includes visual clues for estimating low wind speeds. These include smoke drift, leaf movement, movement of small twigs, and other cues that crews may observe during pre-arrival and on-scene size-up.
Research Basis
This SOG is based on research and post-incident simulations of wind driven fires conducted by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). It also reflects lessons from firefighter line-of-duty death investigations involving wind-impacted fire conditions.
Use with Tactical Decision Games
This reference is intended to support company officers, chief officers, and instructors using tactical decision games to examine recognition of wind-impacted fire conditions, tactical discipline, flow path control, firefighter safety, and the coordination of fire attack, ventilation, and search under high wind conditions.
Use this document as a reference when preparing, facilitating, or reviewing tactical decision games involving structural firefighting under high wind conditions, wind-influenced flow paths, or fire attack decisions under high wind conditions.
For wind impacted fire tactical decision games, see the 10-Minute Training Tactical Decision Game Library. Filter the 10-Minute Trainings on the key word “wind”.
