The following information relating to fire safety for trail runners has been taken from the
TRAQ website: www.runtrails.org
FIRE SAFETY FOR TRAIL RUNNERS
PART 1: WHAT TO DO IF CAUGHT IN A BUSHFIRE WHILST RUNNING
IN REMOTE AREAS
Survival in the open when confronted by an intense fire is not easy. The threats to life
come from three sources:
1. Radiant heat so intense as to induce heat stroke;
2. Smoke and hot gases able to induce asphyxiation;
3. Flames which induce actual burns.
WHAT WILL THE FIRE DO?
Fire behaviour is influenced by three main factors:
1. Fuel: The type of fuel, the amount of fuel, its moisture content and the
arrangement of the fuel determines the intensity and rate of spread of a fire. For
example, in forest land the fire burns with high intensity but moves slowly,
whereas in grassland the fire is less intense but moves quickly.
2. Weather: Fires will be more intense on hot dry days than on cool humid days. Fires
move more quickly when it is windy and wind changes affect fire behaviour
dramatically.
3. Topography: The lay of the land has considerable affect on the way the fire
travels. A “pre-heating” effect causes the fire to move more quickly uphill. The
key to surviving a bushfire is to understand these factors, predict how they will
interact, and take appropriate actions.
PREVENTION
Schedule your visit to remote forest areas to avoid the time of year when bushfires are
likely to be most intense and/or occur most often (avoid the hottest summer months and
days of very high or extreme fire danger). During summer a run on the beach may be more
pleasant.
PREPARATION
Ensure that full details of your run, including party size are left with responsible people
and make sure that you advise them of your return. In planning your run, note features
shown on the map that may offer some refuge (bodies of water, rocky outcrops, etc.)
Carry clothes that offer protection from radiant heat. When threatened by a bushfire it is
important to remove all synthetic clothing as this can melt and burn skin severely. Cotton
long trousers, long sleeved shirts and leather boots should be a part of your running gear
(maybe even a woolen jumper). Carry plenty of water. While running maintain your
navigation so that you know where you are at all times. This makes the emergency
decision-making process easier. Keep a lookout for smoke.
RESPONSE
1. Anticipate the fires’ behaviour and plan the best course of action.
Move to a low fuel area. Don’t try to outrun the fire – move across the front of the
fire to the flanks (sides). Move downhill – the most intense fire will be at the tops
of hills. Don’t try to run through the flames unless you can clearly see behind
them. This means flames less than 1 m high and less than 3 m deep. Move towards
the flanks or back of the fire, and look for lulls in the fire to find flames of less
intensity. Remain calm and avoid exhaustion – plan your actions.
2. Find an area that won’t burn – the bigger the better.
You need to avoid direct flame contact by getting to an area devoid of bushfire
fuel. Some examples include:
(a) Water bodies such as lakes, dams or creeks. Avoid areas of swampy vegetation
such as Melaleuca species which can burn intensely. Avoid elevated water
tanks. Water above the ground in elevated tanks heats up very quickly during a
fire. A body immersed in lukewarm water cannot sweat or lose heat, and at 44
deg. a state of collapse is reached in about three minutes.
(b) Rocky outcrops (such as granite monadnocks).
(c) A road or firebreak.
(d) A paddock area heavily grazed or trampled by stock.
(e) An area of previously burnt ground or any other area clear of combustible
material.
3. Protect yourself from radiant heat.
This is not easy in the open. Wear your cotton/woolen clothing. Lie down on the
ground and cover yourself as far as possible. Anything that will deflect or absorb
the radiant heat should be used. Move into a building or a vehicle, or put a tree
trunk or large rock between you and the fire. Get into a wheel rut or depression in
the ground.
4. Protect your airways.
Smoke and hot gasses can cause asphyxiation and even burn the inside of the
airway. Keep low, breathing into the ground, to avoid smoke and hot gasses. Cover
your mouth and nose with a wet cloth.
5. Recovery. First Aid. Learn how to treat:
(a) Burns,
(b) Shock,
(c) Asphyxiation and smoke inhalation,
(d) Smoke and foreign matter in the eyes,
(e) Heat induced illness.
Arrange evacuation and medical aid. Notify relevant authorities of your situation.
Bushfires are a real and immediate threat to life. Your survival when caught in the open
depends on sound judgment and in taking the appropriate actions.
Source: By Sue Davies, Regional Officer, Bushfire Services of WA – November 1998 and
reproduced from Sydney Bushwalker, November 2000.
PART 2: INQUIRY REPORT RELEASED ON KIMBERLEY ULTRAMARATHON FIRE
A parliamentary committee has made damning findings against the overseas organisers of
last year’s disastrous Kimberley ultra-marathon in a report released on the 16th of August
2012. Several competitors suffered life-threatening burns when a bushfire ripped through
the 100-kilometre ultra-marathon course last September.
The inquiry found that Hong Kong-based adventure company, Racing The Planet, failed to
take all reasonable steps to maintain the safety of runners and did not adequately
communicate or consult with relevant authorities, including the Fire and Emergency
Services Authority, about fire risks in the lead-up to the event.
In addition, the inquiry found Racing The Planet’s conduct had put the wellbeing of staff,
runners, volunteers and spectators in jeopardy by failing to contact with authorities about
the outback marathon course, particularly by:
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Not testing communications equipment prior to the race in the remote location.
Placing checkpoints too far apart given the limited number of vehicles roving the
course,
Not engaging the services or knowledge of St John Ambulance in Kununurra; and
Failing to make arrangements for a medivac helicopter until a day before the
event.
“The level of communication and consultation with relevant agencies and individuals
regarding the event’s risk management plan was generally inadequate, both in terms of its
timeliness and its approach” committee chairman Mike Nahan told parliament.
“Specifically, Racing the Planet failed to communicate and consult adequately with the
Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, the shire in which the race was held, the WA police
force, the Fire and Emergency Services (FESA) and St John’s Ambulance service.
“As a result, Racing the Planet deprived itself of the opportunity to identify risks that it
may not have contemplated by itself and establish relationships with key agencies that
would have been able to provide ongoing assistance to risk identification and mitigation.”
Dr Nahan said Racing the Planet’s failure to communicate and consult with FESA’s
Kununurra office was “the most significant omission”; “FESA’s fire monitoring expertise
and advice prior to the race could have been highly valuable to Racing the Planet in terms
of whether the race needed to be re-routed … or possibly cancelled,” he said.
The inquiry also examined the role of government departments, including Tourism WA,
police, health and fire authorities, in regards to the protection and rescue of competitors.
The committee was critical of Tourism WA in its 294-page report, saying the department
did not site Racing The Planet’s risk management plan or confirm whether relevant
insurance requirements of the sponsorship contract were in place before the signing of the
contract.
Earlier this year, Ms Gadams told the inquiry there was “no convenient villain” in the
tragedy and she had decided to give evidence in person because of a “wall of prejudice”
over the fall-out of the race. The Committee recognised that ‘[g]iven the location of
[ultra-marathons] and the inherent desire of many competitors to challenge themselves in
remote areas’, limitations ‘on the access to emergency medical services are acceptable.
The company said the waivers adopted by Racing The Planet were “very similar” to those
of comparable footraces.
Tourism Minister Kim Hames said he “absolutely” believed Racing the Planet should offer
financial compensation to the victims, saving them from pursuing it in court. “They should
have known the risks … if there is anyone to blame in all this it is quite clearly Racing the
Planet,” he said. “Quite clearly, the recommendation of the committee is that the
government should require any organisation running an event in Australia to have
insurance that is claimable in Australia and sue-able in Australia.”
Source (edited to focus on the inquiry findings):
http://www.news.com.au/national/kimberley-ultramarathon-inquiry-finding-revealedtoday/story-fndo4e3y-1226451690697