The
Help with Brush Fire Water Rig thread has me thinking of our situation, we frequently have fairly large bonfires "out back" (in the middle of a grassy field) and I am looking to make a "water rig" for next year in case one gets out of control and needs containment.
Raw materials on hand:
- 2" trash pump
- 25' of 2" layflat line
- ~8 feet of suction line
- 35 gallon drum mounted in a cradle on a "garden cart" (has a 3/4" pipe out the bottom of the drum)
- 3500# trailer axle on a trailer that will be scrapped soon (popup frame that someone tried to make into a flatbed)
- Toro Workman 2100 (rated to carry ~1200# in the 5'x4' bed or tow the same amount)
- Couple of tractors (see the list of the left), all of which could tow 2500# without much fuss
- 1980s vintage Yamaha electric golf cart
- Stream with a small pond ~500' from the fire spot (~2' deep and 10'x8' for most of the summer)
I am debating which of the following setups would be better:
- Use the axle, the pump and a 300 gallon tote (would have to buy) to make a water trailer with a mounted pump
- Use 2-3 of 55 gallon drums (can get for free) to make a skid that will fit into the back of the Toro and connect the drums in series to the pump
- Put 12v pump onto the existing 35 gallon drum
My thoughts on the three options:
- Option 1:
Upsides: Can unload a lot of water in a hurry, just hitch and go
Downsides: Cant tow the trailer with the Toro or a golf cart when full (have to pull behind one of the tractors), filling partway will cause much sloshing.
- Option 2:
Upsides: Can unload a lot of water in a hurry, very mobile
Downsides: Will be a pain to load and unload, will restrict what can be done with the Toro when it is in the bed, not sure I want to leave that much weight on it frequently, much less water than Option
- Option 3:
Upsides: Can move with anything, small
Downsides: Not much water in a emergency situation, will be slow to load and unload (compared to the 2" trash pump)
My aim is to be able to wet down anything that comes loose and blows off or if the fire starts to spread in the grass.
Once one of our bonfires starts, its not worth trying to knock it down, would take a couple thousand gallons of water and someone who knows what they are doing, so I am just trying to keep it contained in a SHTF scenario.
Anyone care to weigh in?
Thanks
Aaron Z
* 2" trash pump, 25' 2" flat hose and 8' suction hose - use to refill the tanks on the fire trucks from your creek, if they have to respond. Have mounted to old golf cart. Run 2" PVC pipe with strainer from creek to where you can get to with the "Yamaha Golf Cart rolling portable pumping refill unit". To keep from getting "stuck", run a 2" PVC pipe with strainer and foot valve from the creek to where you can get to with the cart. MOW and clear a safety zone with your lawn tractor around the "dry hydrant" site so you don't burn up your golf cart. Look up "dry hydrant" on the net.
35 and 55 gallon drums. Cut the tops off, paint red, and mount three 2.5 gallon galvinized water buckets on hooks to each barrel, covered by a lid. Place wherever you want these. In colonial times, many fires were fought from "rain barrels". If the drums are plastic instead of steel drums, better yet.
3500# trailer axle - scrap or use to keep a "water buffalo" with 300 GL tank near the house for water supply during fire season. Have a hookup on the tank to hook into the trash pump to refill your - - -
Toro Workman 2100 with sprayer unit mounted in the bed. Forget the steel drums on the Workman. Get a nice little poly water tank with a large electric, small Honda WX10, or Honda WX15 pump and at least 100' of 3/4 Ag spray hose with garden hose nozzle and shutoff. Those plastic tanks are not that expensive. Check out your nearest tractor supply, fleet and farm, or farm supply store. Sprayer units are available from Fimco, Northern Tool & Supply and Graingers, but you can build your own. I would go 50-75 gallons on the Toro, or you could have some equipment breakage issues from excessive weight. The Toro would be your most effective intial attack spot fire sprayer unit, and could "spray and roll" at the same time.
Stream - useful not only for water supply, but as a natural barrier to stop a wildfire or to prescribe burn the pasture from. A trail alongside the stream would be beautiful.
Tractors - Get a "bush hog" and keep your pastures cut down during the summer. This will reduce flame lengths if you get a fire, reduce ticks from Lyme disease, and keep down weeds and brush. Maintain fire trails through your property with the tractors and mowers, as hiking trails, fire trails to prescribe burn from and for fire defense, snowmobile trails, etc.
You could also take those steel drums and trailer and make a big BBQ trailer and smoker to cook over during your overnight bon fires. Now Thats what I call "fire management". A good oak fire pit and some steaks.
The BEST thing would be to finish mow a 12' fire break with a JD lawn tractor back 100' from your bon fire area, burn out the grass on a quiet Spring morning, and not have to worry about it until it grows back. "Burned" grass or new "green" grass will not "burn". That is what I do near my backyard fire pit.
Unless you have TALL grass, or burn on a dry windy day, 6-10 GPM or even a garden hose from a small pump should be able to suppress any spot fires. Don't burn when the NY Forest Rangers or USFS forecast a Red Flag Warning or HIGH fire danger. There is always the option of not lighting the match. Of course, night burns should be safer, but watch out for forecasted winds the next day that could send your fire across the next hill.
I looked up that area on the Internet. Beautiful!
SC
