Our forest fire precautions

   / Our forest fire precautions #11  
Hello Charlie and RedDirt,
Here is the latest ... it is hot, dry, and windy here and will be for a bit, so I became nervous and decided on a short term solution that I hope will lead to a longer-term strategy.

I bought some Barricade Gel and the residential applicator Barricade International, Inc. - Fire Blocking Gel with the idea that I will spray this on the house propane tank, etc... and then run.

If there is time, then I will use one of these foam kits

Scotty Foam Kits for Firefighting
to spray a perimeter and the trees

I have a 2000+ gallon pond that I can use if the county water supply is not available. So, I need a pump, and that is next on the list. Actually, I think I need two pumps: one for the foam and gel setups and the other for the third step: spray the surrounding landscape using something like this:

PRODUCTS

If the fire department can't get to me and I have the time before running, these these steps might help. They will probably cost a 2-4 k, depending on the pumps.

I also need another water source, probably a 2500 gallon tank or a new swim spa :)).

I have not ruled out the compressed air foam systems, but it seems the gel may offer more protection for my structure than the foam, but I am still working on that.

At least there are some options it is just a matter of sorting out the design of the system and how to make it idiot proof when everything is going to **** fast.

Thanks
JR

ps: I also bought some econoforest hoses ECONOFORESTﾂｮ A Commercial grade Garden hose & Forestry Fire Hose with Garden hose connectors and (Drinking Water Certified) for use with the gel and foam kits.

I am thinking of getting something like this for the gel and foam pump
Home Firefighting Systems - Professional firefighting equipment for homeowners and ranchers including portable firefighter pumps, foam & gel eductors, hoses, nozzles and accessories.
and something like this for the sprinkler system, but I am unsure about this one
Honda Power Equipment - WH20
 
   / Our forest fire precautions
  • Thread Starter
#12  
hotwheels,
Thanks very much for the research. I spent a lot of time at the sites you offered, especially Barricade.

For me, Barricade seems to be the best choice. Looks like I'd need the home kit (3/4" garden hose eductor nozzle + 4gal gel/foam + instruction video = $326) plus an additional case of gel/foam (4 gal = $256) to do my 2000sqft home and 1600sqft shop/office. Another couple/few gallons could save my 1200sqft 3-sided shed if I install roll down tarps across the front for something for the foam to stick to. I'll have to do some actual surface calculations to see if this is enough. With my metal roofs I might even need less. I think $600 a viable amount for decent protection of the house and shop. (No good gelling the shed now if I can't protect the face.)

Barricade's published shelf life of three years is a bit of a concern. They say with proper storage it can be much longer. If I can start with the above amount then stagger replacement supplies, 1 case, on a 3-6-9 year cycle thats only $85/year. Maybe the local volunteers would take 3 year stuff as a write off and one could keep a fresh supply at reasonable cost.


Why would you want an additional system like Scotty's foam? It seem like Scotty's foam is more of an active firefighting tool rather than Barrricade's gel coat and evacuate.

Where did you purchase the Barricade? At the Placerville outlet?

I couldn't find a water pressure/volume requirement for the "Big Gun" impact sprayers. Do you know what's required to run one?
 
   / Our forest fire precautions #13  
RedDirt,

The gel products like Barricade offer some structure protection at a reasonable cost. I am still thinking all this through, but I think it is the long term solution to protecting my house before I would have to leave.

I might go for just an all gel solution, but I thought at this point I can use the foam on some perimeter areas that I would just soak down, or put the foam inline with a larger sprinkler.

I did get the Barricade at the Placerville place --- it is close to me and I could have it immediately, so I took that route.

I have not yet found the water requirements for the big gun type sprinkler, but they look substantial. I saw one at the Placerville outlet and they are hefty. The gentleman there said that he has installed them with timers so they spray every "x minutes so as to use water more effectively. That gets more complicated, but somehow I like the idea of looking back at a big wall of water as I am driving out the driveway. I am going to call Nelson on Monday to find out about the sprinkler, but there are some other options I am looking at, so I will keep you posted on my progress.

Best,
JR
 
   / Our forest fire precautions #15  
I would like to add a cistern to my home for fire-fighting and irrigation back-up...

I looked into it and the permitting and engineering is very expensive and the HOA... even the Fire Department didn't seem enthusiastic and the building dept is very concerned about seismic safety.

Anyone here run into problems installing one?
 
   / Our forest fire precautions
  • Thread Starter
#16  
ultrarunner said:
I would like to add a cistern to my home for fire-fighting and irrigation back-up...

I looked into it and the permitting and engineering is very expensive and the HOA... even the Fire Department didn't seem enthusiastic and the building dept is very concerned about seismic safety.

Anyone here run into problems installing one?
Click to expand...

Isn't a cistern just a tank that is filled with rainwater run-off, usually from roof downspouts?

Are the engineering concerns structural or sanitary?

I had wondered hot to keep an underground tank "fresh". I wonder what the procedure is and how one maintains a cistern. Seems in underground cistern could be as simple as a buried septic tank filled with fresh water.

Hotwheels,
I thought those big guns would demand a bunch of volume. Their smallest requires 40psi, 27GPM and shoots a 147' diameter stream. The biggest was 130psi, 1210GPM and 620 dia circle! You'd need 1620gal storage for just the small sprinkler for just one hour run time. But it would be neat to have the "little gun" mounted 15ft-30ft in the air on a beefed up antenna tower.
 
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   / Our forest fire precautions #17  
RedDirt said:
Isn't a cistern just a tank that is filled with rainwater run-off, usually from roof downspouts?

Are the engineering concerns structural or sanitary?

I had wondered hot to keep an underground tank "fresh". I wonder what the procedure is and how one maintains a cistern. Seems in underground cistern could be as simple as a buried septic tank filled with fresh water.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of something like a septic tank...

I think living in a big city is the problem... the concerns so far are erosion and earthquake and safety?
 
   / Our forest fire precautions
  • Thread Starter
#18  
ultrarunner said:
... the concerns so far are erosion and earthquake and safety?
Click to expand...

I don't understand. Is this the Bay Area property you are having difficulty with? Are there specific documented soils or geotech problems where you live? Is the proposed cistern above or below ground? Is your property on a steep slope?

The company I work for (tele-commute) has put some fairly outlandish features into some of the upper upper class homes we've built in the Bay Area. A cistern seems fairly mundane by comparison.
 
   / Our forest fire precautions #19  
RedDirt said:
I don't understand. Is this the Bay Area property you are having difficulty with? Are there specific documented soils or geotech problems where you live? Is the proposed cistern above or below ground? Is your property on a steep slope?

The company I work for (tele-commute) has put some fairly outlandish features into some of the upper upper class homes we've built in the Bay Area. A cistern seems fairly mundane by comparison.
Click to expand...

The property is within the Oakland City limits and also governed by a Home Owner's Association which has evolved from it's main purpose of road maintenance when it was formed 60 years.

The area was originally set up for horses and only 2 of the 400 homes now have horses... that's another story about what happens when new comers move in and don't like livestock, tractors, etc.. This is the same city that requires a permit to remove any tree... even dead ones... although no permit fee is charged once the city arborists determines the tree is actually dead.

I would like to go underground...

Thanks for posting the steps you've taken in the event of Fire...
 
   / Our forest fire precautions #20  
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