Fire protection for home and livestock

   / Fire protection for home and livestock #1  

CTW

Silver Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
124
Location
Texas
I tried doing a search on this topic with no real specific results. I live in South Texas where we've had extreme drought conditions for over two years now. I was born and raised in this area and can't remember things being this dry. Brush fires happen from time to time but the local fire department has been pretty successful in putting out these fires before any real damage happens. But as of late, the local departments haven't been tested really and with these conditions it's not a matter of if it's when we'll have the BIG ONE.

I'm currently maintaining about 120 acres with some cows and I've become worried about their welfare during a possible brush fire. In the past, they've always been very resourceful in escaping the flames but I'd like to help them as well as our two homes on the property dodge disaster. Have any of you out there constructed or heard of anyone constructing a sprinkler system that would run out let's say 2-3 acres and then surround a property or even cattle pens for that matter? I'd like to set something up like this, maybe on an X-10 system so I could turn the thing on via computer if I were away. Just looking for suggestions or ideas, thanks!
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock #2  
My idea would be to keep the scrubb brush cut back pretty far from all your structures and keep the grass if any very low to minimize fire getting to structures. keep the fence lines cleared and tilled/disked back farther than the norm sendero cuts to keep fire from progressing on to your property.

The sprinkler system idea would help if your able to put out plenty of water.
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock #3  
There are a number o fire knowledgable folks here. One thread last year has some information that might be relevant for you ...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/123758-our-forest-fire-precautions.html

There are some large volume sprinkers out there (Nelson Big Gun) that are used in some fire protection situations as well as for irrigation purposes that might suit your needs, but others can chime in here about sprinklers and other options.
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock #4  
Sprinklers may work well, just remember that the smoke and co/co2 from the fire may make conditions tough on the animals depending upon how close a fire comes. They may also bolt, regardless of the sprinkler system. If they fire gets close it may be natural for them to move away.

Wushaw has some great points there. Also, if you plan to use a gas powered pump to move the water for the sprinklers, pumps may also quit depending upon smoke conditions.

Good luck.
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock #5  
I would start with prevention. Cal Fire is saying 100' clearance to all structures these days, as a minimum. Texas must have a state fire battalion? I'm sure they would have recomendations.

The two biggest things I see after a few years volunteering locally, is to make and maintain clearances. And, make sure you property is accessable. Fire Engines and Water Tenders are BIG rigs.

http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/DefensibleSpaceFlyer.pdf

http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/2007DefSpaceBrochure.pdf

http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/Checklist.pdf

Texas Forest Service
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Texas must have a state fire battalion? I'm sure they would have recomendations.

Fire battalion? Our county fire department is volunteer and is called to action when they hear an old air-raid horn go off in town.
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock #7  
Fire battalion? Our county fire department is volunteer and is called to action when they hear an old air-raid horn go off in town.

Yes, I am a volunteer out here. We have pagers. Our old air raid siren is sitting behind the station. Our station though, is staffed 24x7; we(volunteers) staff a second engine. My Uncle is on the board of directors for a volunteer dept in Oregon. They have pagers, and air raid siren, still.

What I referred to as a fire battalion, I was asking if Texas has a state fire department, like California has "Cal Fire", a new name for California Department of Forestry. Although we respond our engines locally, Cal Fire will respond engines(a lot of seasonal engines) to grass, brush, forest fires. Cal Fire also sets standards for maintaining clearances, and state wildland regulations.

Our Dept is local jurisdiction. Cal Fire covers the whole state. I guess you could loosely compare it to a local sheriff vs a state trooper in law enforcement.
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock #8  
I'm not a sprinkler engineer but have been hands-on responsible for sprinkler system maintenance in a nuclear power plant for 21 years. Sprinkler design is based on two components, fire load & deliverable water supply. You need to minimize the fire load to the point it can be protected by the water supply.
If you clear the two acres to lawn & buildings you need less water. Water supply is rated by the ability to deliver enough water to keep things wet for long enough to suppress the fire or allow it to burn around the protected area. Remember all fires go out when they run out of fuel, a lesson learned at Yellowstone. Besides water volume to draw from, it also means enough pump capacity & piping capacity to deliver to multiple points. A high density lawn sprinkler system may protect the ground or an elevated piping system like an agricultural sprinkler system could be adapted. Below grade piping is easier to protect from fire than exposed pipe but may be more difficult to assemble. Exposed pipe should not be combustible, i.e. PVC or black plastic. Forestry fire hose weeps to provide self protection, thus is another option.
Buildings & livestock can be protected with external sprinkler systems that also just keep everything wet. Radiant heat will pass thru windows & start fires inside so non-flammable shutters will help there. Again, the larger the non-combustible zone the less protection is needed. External sprinklers need to be protected from insects that build nests in the orifices, i.e. mud wasps, unless closed fusible heads are used.
Sprinklers in public buildings are to slow a fire & provide safe passage to get out of the building rather than necessarily put out the fire. A wet zone will likewise provide limited safety for livestock from smoke & radiant heat provided they can get there. Again distance is your goal.
It is possible to purchase parts for & assemble your own sprinkler system. Sprinkler heads are rated by gpm, make sure you can supply all the heads with adequate pressure & volume.
Keep us posted should you proceed. MikeD74T
 
   / Fire protection for home and livestock
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks for all of the great replies, I'll start first by reducing the fire material such as mowing close to ground around the houses and discing fire breaks around the houses and fence lines. At one point while I was piling up dead Huisache and Mesquite into piles, I entertained the idea of renting an industrial brush chipper but I figured I could just burn the piles. Well, that was over two years ago and we've been in a burn ban since.

Robert, I appreciate you and every other person who volunteers for fire fighting duties on top of your regular work load. You never know when you'll be called for duty, essentially being on call 24/7, working with little or no back-up trucks and limited water sources to say the least. I don't know how your old siren was set up but ours still gives a certain sequence of blast depending on the emergency (fire, major car accident, etc.). I guess I just want to explore every resource I have when the need arises. When or if I decide to pursue the sprinkler idea, I'll certainly post and of course ask for input and suggestions.

Thanks again!

Chris
 
 
Top