Fireline production rate of handcrews in wildfires of the Spanish Mediterranean region

Background: Handcrews dig handlines to bare mineral soil for fire containment. Increasing the amount of firefighting resources is insufficient to mitigate wildfire damage or decrease the number of large fires.Aims: This study aims to empirically assess handcrew fireline production rates through direct monitoring of suppression actions on active wildfires.Methods: A database was created from information gathered by crew supervisors during wildfires in southern Spain between 2014 and 2019. Fireline production rates were calculated from working time and handline length.Key results: Mean fireline production rate during direct attack in chaparral was 0.33 m min(-1) firefighter(-1), whereas production in timber litter was 1.06 m min(-1) firefighter(-1). However, fireline production rate was considerably reduced during indirect attack, in fuel types with high fuel loading, on wildfires larger than 50 ha, after 3 h of sustained suppression action, with crews of more than nine firefighters, in unsuccessful fire containment, and when the ground crews lacked aerial support.Conclusions: Our results suggest mean fireline production rates need to be modified by working conditions and psychological variables to better inform efficient acquisition and allocation of resources.Implications: Knowing the operating capability of firefighting resources is important to fire managers for reducing uncertainty and guaranteeing the safety and effectiveness of suppression.