For many years, the Joint Fire Science Program has funded the wildfire safety zone work of Bret Butler who is a research engineer at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory. Bret developed flat terrain safety zone recommendations for firefighters. As a result of his initial work, the JFSP funded Bret’s additional research which focuses on safe separation distances on slopes.
Although results are preliminary and subject to change,
this new research should be used to
provide an extra margin of safety for all wildland fire personnel.
Read the original research here.
Click here for a summary from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.