Ignition Method for Controlled Burning

Abstract

A method for igniting plant materials over an area of land, using one or more indeterminate lengths of a rapidly igniting, prolonged burning incendiary strand. The strand may be comprised of means for rapid ignition along the longitudinal axis of the strand, in co-linear arrangement with a solid or semi-solid combustible fuel composition. The strand, or strands, are placed upon the surface of an area of land to be burned, and then ignited either manually or remotely in a manner that provides for the burning of plant materials according to desired fire behavior aspects. The present invention is particularly well suited for the prescribed burning of forest and rangeland vegetation, and may also be suitably employed in the setting of backfires or burn-outs for wildland fire control activities.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of igniting vegetative matter over an area of land using a rapidly-igniting, prolonged-burning incendiary strand, comprising:
 laying out one or more incendiary strand segments in a predetermined pattern in the area of land to be burned; and   igniting each incendiary strand in a predetermined manner to achieve desired fire behavior characteristics.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 placing multiple incendiary strand segments along strips in a predetermined relationship to selected fire control lines, at a distance of spacing between strips that is determined according to fuel, weather and topographical conditions; and   igniting the incendiary strands in a sequence timed to result in a line of fire being drawn in a desired direction of fire spread by convective and radiative influences of the multiple lines of fire initiated in the vegetative matter.   
     
     
         3 . A method of initiating backfires used in halting the forward spread of wildland fires, comprising:
 placing first multiple segments of a rapidly igniting, prolonged burning, incendiary strand over an area of land lying in the path of a spreading wildfire, the strand segments arranged in a predetermined pattern selected to achieve mass ignition of plant materials present in said area of land; and   placing at least one second incendiary strand segment in near proximity to fire control lines at which wildland fire spread is desired to be halted, the second incendiary strand segments positioned on the side of said fire control lines facing the wildland fire; and   manually or remotely igniting the first incendiary stand segments in a predetermined sequence to initiate rapid, simultaneous combustion of the plant materials present on the area of land lying in the path of the wildland fire; and   subsequently igniting said second incendiary strand segments lying proximate to fire control lines, after a predetermined delay following ignition of the first incendiary strands,   
       whereby the high energy release generated by said rapid, simultaneous combustion of plant materials produces a convective plume that draws air inwardly towards the base of the plume, and wherein the secondary fire initiated along said fire control lines is thus drawn away from the fire control lines and towards the wildfire. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the backfire is initiated at a point in time when the convective plume of the advancing wildland fire is positioned directly above the area of land intended to be ignited by the incendiary strands, and wherein the strong, vertically oriented convective plume generated by the ignited backfire intercepts, and is entrained by, the wildland fire plume, resulting in the backfire being drawn towards the wildland fire. 
     
     
         5 . A method of remotely igniting plant materials over an area of land, comprising:
 placing one or more rapidly igniting, prolonged burning incendiary strand segments in close proximity to plant materials present upon an area of land; and   attaching electrical ignition means to one or more of the incendiary strand segments; and   signaling the activation of said electrical ignition means from a location remotely separated from the area of land to be burned,   whereby activation of said electrical ignition means initiates combustion of the incendiary strand segment, or segments, along the entirety of segment lengths, and whereby the flames of which cause the ignition of adjacent plant materials.