Blower Clears Established Firelines in Hardwood Forests Without Disturbing Soil, Conclusions

Blower Clears Established Firelines in Hardwood Forests Without Disturbing Soil

Conclusions

The Buffalo Turbine Cyclone KB3 debris blower can blow accumulated leaf litter and pine straw off previously constructed fireline.

The KB3 blower could help create new fireline if flammable debris can be cleared with a strong gust of air. Two operators using the KB3 blower cleared more fireline than a crew of several persons using backpack leaf blowers.

Chain saws are still needed to clear obstacles in the path of the blower.

The KB3 blower can be pulled on a trailer or mounted in the bed of a UTV, which makes the unit easier to maneuver in tight spaces.

A flexible air chute is less vulnerable to damage than a rigid air chute when the UTV crosses steep, narrow ravines and gullies.

One operator driving the UTV and another firefighter monitoring the UTV's travel speed and controlling the movement of the blower's chute appear to do a better job of clearing fireline than a UTV operator working alone.