Mineralized strip: purpose, arrangement, application features

Combating forest fires requires incredible costs of resources and resources. To reduce the risk of their occurrence, complexes of preventive measures are being developed. Some are aimed at preventing fires, others are aimed at fighting fire and its non-proliferation into vast territories. Properly equipped mineralized strip plays a significant role in this.

Appointment

A mineralized strip is an artificially created fire barrier. It is created by cleaning the linear portion of the territory bordering the forest area with combustible materials. As a rule, this is done by a mechanized method: the tractor is plowed with a certain width.

The mineral layer of the soil is bare, and the turf, grass, needles, leaves and other materials that can burn, in the process, are covered with earth. In focal fires, such a plowed strip prevents the spread of grass-roots fire to other parts of the forest.

Another purpose of the mineralized strip is the creation of a reference line, from which a counter-regulated fir (annealing) of the forest massif will be produced. Going towards the main fire, the fire strip destroys in its path all combustible materials. Having met, the flame fades, since there is nothing more to burn.

In this case, the mineralized strip settles along the line of spreading fire at some distance from it. Arson is being fired from the approaching element. The process should be under the constant control of firefighters so that the fire does not move to the site behind the line of demarcation.

Requirements

As a separate barrier, a mineralized strip is not just a condition for organizing recreational areas where open fire is allowed. Such a barrier is mandatory for any work in the immediate vicinity of the forest.

It is built on logging areas in the places of storage of combustive-lubricating materials, in the zone of work on cutting and felling trees and storing them. Territories with young plantations are also protected by such bands. Barriers are also being built along roads, along the border with agricultural lands, around housing and production facilities.

The width of the mineralized strip can be different, and it depends on the purpose and conditions of the terrain. To equip the line for controlled annealing, it can be 0.3-0.5 m. To prevent fire, it is recommended to equip strips at least 1.4 m. It is better if this line is even wider (2.5-4 m), since This depends on the protective effectiveness of the barrier.

In the conditions of spreading fire in the forest, the decision on the width of the obstruction barrier is adopted on the spot and depends on many factors. On the territory with shrub plantations, it will be sufficient to withstand a break of 1.5-2 m, while in the stand it will take up to 4 m. If the threat of spreading the upper fire is high, then one mineralization of the soil in strong wind will not be enough.

Furnishing

Fire-resistant mineralized strips are created by soil-cultivating tools. In most cases this happens mechanically using tractors, bulldozers, special equipment for laying strips. For the arrangement, the most commonly used plows are forest fire combined (PKL-70 and PLK-2,0). In one pass, such a tractor hitch allows for opening the soil layer to a width of 1.4 to 2 meters. In some cases, it is possible to manually clear the soil, use explosives, treatment with herbicides to destroy vegetation in the steppe zone.

The mineralized strip assumes complete cleaning of the territory from combustible materials. Therefore, in addition to plowing, it may be necessary to cut down trees and shrubs on the way to laying it. In addition to the arrangement of new lines, 1-2 times a year, care must be taken for them, their renewal and restoration, as accumulation of a layer of combustible materials (needles, foliage, branches, grass) occurs constantly.

To control the quality of the strip, a visual assessment is made of the degree of mineralization (openness of the soil layer). Also, the completeness of grounding of combustible forest materials to the required width is checked. The complex of measures assesses the extent to which the network of mineralized strips covers the entire forest area. Industry standards, in addition to the width of protective lines, set standards for the area of restriction sites such barriers and the distance between neighboring bands.

Features

The mineralized strip on the slopes is equipped with a groove in the middle, so that the burning materials rolling from the hill can be retained in it. The branches of the dry ground near the line of demarcation, if time allows, are cut. The tractor can only be used with a protected cab. You should make sure of its good technical condition. It's better if the technique works in pairs. It is necessary to calculate the time to have time to finish the strip before the approach of the front of the fire and have time to make a counter annealing.

The route is laid in accordance with the topography of the area. The direction is chosen in a straight line, avoiding sharp corners and tears. If possible, natural barriers (roads, routes, rivers and lakes) should be used. When constructing a strip during a fire, it is necessary to observe safety precautions and work to be carried out at a distance that is acceptable from the line of fire.