Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 2:46 PM AWST

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Supervise incendiary operations during aerial ignition

Supervise incendiary operations during aerial ignition

Unit of competency
National Code
PUAFIR013
State Code
OCZ93
TGA Status
Current
DTWD Status
Approved
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
08/02/2021
View on TGA
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
16/06/2021
Field of Education
039905 - Fire Technology
Original Release Date
16/06/2021
Nominal Hours
35
Description
This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to supervise incendiary operations during aerial ignition of a prescribed burn or fire suppression operations. It includes planning aerial ignition operation, supervising preparation of personnel, equipment and consumables, preparing for flight, conducting aerial ignition operation, collecting information relating to operation, reacting to changed conditions and emergencies and concluding aerial ignition operation.The unit is applicable to a supervisor responsible for conducting aerial ignition from a fixed wing or rotary wing aircraft or using remotely piloted aircraft who is undertaking the ignition to an approved burn or incident action plan. Authorisation to perform this role is subject to organisational policies and procedures. The fire sector is those sections of government departments, statutory authorities or organisations that have responsibility under jurisdictional arrangements for the delivery of firefighting and fire management services.No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1 Plan aerial ignition operation
  • 1.1 Approved burn plan or incident action plan is used to identify burn location, objectives, control lines and burn prescription or defined burn conditions
  • 1.2 Hazards and risks are identified during planning to ensure safety of flight, firefighting resources, neighbours and environmental values
  • 1.3 Factors affecting burn prescription or defined burn are determined including terrain, fuel loads, types and distribution in the burn area and forecast weather conditions
  • 1.4 Factors affecting aerial ignition are determined including operating height and incendiary drift
  • 1.5 Ignition pattern, lighting sequence and aerial ignition lines for planned burn are confirmed with burn manager or incident operations officer
  • 1.6 Time of day and weather conditions for aerial ignition are determined in conjunction with burn manager or incident operations officer
  • 1.7 Time required to complete aerial ignition is estimated and departure time and flight duration is calculated
  • 1.8 Alternative aircraft landing locations are identified
  • 1.9 Aerial ignition operation arrangements are reviewed against burn plan or incident action plan and variations are checked with burn manager or incident operations officer
2 Supervise preparation of personnel, equipment and consumables
  • 2.1 Safe work practices are implemented around aircraft
  • 2.2 Organisational procedures for aerial ignition operations are identified and implemented
  • 2.3 Resource requirements for personnel, equipment, aircraft and fuel for aerial ignition are identified and organised
  • 2.4 Consumable requirements are calculated and obtained
  • 2.5 Confirmation is obtained that ignition equipment has been checked and tested prior to flight in accordance with the manufacturers’ and organisational operating manual
  • 2.6 Satellite navigation equipment used to locate burn area and implement lighting pattern is checked for correct programming and operability prior to flight
  • 2.7 Personal protection clothing and safety equipment is checked and worn prior to flight
3 Prepare for flight
  • 3.1 Principles of Team Resource Management (TRM) are established and maintained
  • 3.2 Briefings on aircraft safety including aircraft emergency procedures is received from pilot
  • 3.3 Briefings on burn or incident operations management including chain of command, communication arrangements, burn objectives, planned ignition sequence and forecast weather is received from burn manager or incident operations officer
  • 3.4 Briefings on aerial ignition operations including response procedures for emergency situations involving ignition equipment is delivered to pilot and air crew
  • 3.5 Aircraft communications equipment is tested pre-flight for correct frequencies and functionality
  • 3.6 Flight following protocols are established and maintained
4 Conduct aerial ignition operation
  • 4.1 Pilot is directed to burn site, flight route is followed on map, burn site is identified and reconnaissance is carried out to establish key ground features and hazards
  • 4.2 Contact is made with fire ground supervisor to confirm communication arrangements and intended strategy and tactics
  • 4.3 Preliminary fly over is conducted to identify hazards and confirm area is clear of personnel and equipment
  • 4.4 Weather conditions, smoke and fire behaviour are monitored
  • 4.5 Approval to commence operations is obtained from burn manager or incident operations officer
  • 4.6 Communication with pilot and ignition equipment operator is maintained to ensure ignition commences and concludes in accordance with lighting plan
5 Collect informationrelating to operation
  • 5.1 Observations of fire behaviour resulting from aerial ignition are recorded
  • 5.2 Data on aerial ignition mission is collected, recorded and communicated to appropriate personnel
6 React to changed conditions and emergencies
  • 6.1 Observed changes in operational conditions are communicated to fire ground supervisor and burn manager or incident operations officer
  • 6.2 Adjustments to ignition rate and sequence including altering aerial ignition lines, airspeed, rate of ignition and ceasing ignition are made to achieve burn objectives
  • 6.3 Observed hazards that pose a risk to people, property, assets or the environment are reported to fire ground supervisor and burn manager or incident operations officer
  • 6.4 Response to emergencies involving aircraft or ignition operations is undertaken in accordance with aircraft and organisational procedures
7 Concludeaerial ignitionoperation
  • 7.1 Isolation or shutdown of ignition equipment is confirmed in accordance with manufacturers’ guidelines prior to departure of aircraft from burn site
  • 7.2 Fire ground supervisor and burn manager or incident operations officer are provided with situation reports prior to departure of aircraft from burn site
  • 7.3 After action review is conducted with aerial ignition operation personnel
  • 7.4 Details of aerial ignition operation are recorded
No information
No information
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
OAY44 PUAFIR519 Supervise incendiary operations during aerial ignition Unit of competency