Fuel Treatment Equipment

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels

• Thin Extract

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Chip or Grind (Tub or Recycler)
• Landings / At stump

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Herbicides

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Hand Lop
• Leave / Scatter / Pile

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Machine Cut Pile

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Trample / Crush

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Chop

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Fire
• (Rx or Pile Burn)

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Methods to Reduce or Modify Hazardous Fuels
(Cont)

• Mastication
• (i.e. in-place
• shredding
• or grinding)

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Mastication A New Technique NOT!
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Mastication Equipment

• Full spectrum from
• light-weight to
• heavy-duty

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Disadvantages with Mastication Equipment

• Residual stand damage
• Bole damage from careless
• operator
• Bole damage from flying debris
• Broken limbs and tops
• from pushing
• Root damage from
• tracks / wheels

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Disadvantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• Soil disturbance
• Compaction
• Displacement
• Loosening
• Rutting

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Disadvantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• Relatively expensive
• 150 to 600 per acre

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Disadvantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• Relatively low production rates
• .25 to 1 acre per productive machine hour

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Disadvantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• Noisy

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Disadvantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• Shredding / Grinding heads have potential to
  create sparks

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Disadvantages with this Equipment (Cont)

• Flying debris presents safety hazards to
  people

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Advantages with Mastication Equipment

• Low manpower requirement
• (i.e. thinning crews or
• firefighters during Rx fire
• operations)

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Advantages with Mastication Equipment

• Low manpower requirement
• Reduced exposure of treatment personnel
• (i.e. chainsaw cuts, falling trees,
• etc.)

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Advantages with Mastication Equipment

• Low manpower requirement
• Reduced exposure of treatment personnel
• No burning window limitations

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Advantages with Mastication Equipment

• Low manpower requirement
• Reduced exposure of treatment personnel
• No burning window limitations
• No smoke management issues

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Advantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• No offensive charred visuals or odor

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Advantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• No offensive charred visuals or odor
• No concern with chemical runoff

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Advantages with Mastication Equipment (Cont)

• No offensive charred visuals or odor
• No concern with chemical runoff
• Good control over final outcome
• (fuel arrangement aesthetics)

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Prime Movers

• Modified Farm Tractors

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Prime Movers (Cont)

• Modified Skid Steers

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Prime Movers (Cont)

• Modified Excavators

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Prime Movers (Cont)

• Feller Bunchers

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Prime Movers (Cont)

• Climbing Backhoes

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Prime Movers (Cont)

• Purpose-Built Machines

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Means of Mobility

• Rubber Tires

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Means of Mobility (Cont)

• Steel Tracks

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Means of Mobility (Cont)

• Rubber Tracks

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Means of Mobility (Cont)

• Other
• (Legs ?)

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Attachment Means

• 3-pt Hitch

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Attachment Means (Cont)

• Loader Arms

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Attachment Means (Cont)

• Booms

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Attachment Means (Cont)

• Custom Arms

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Shredder / Grinder Heads

• Vertical Shaft
• Bar or disk with free-swinging knives

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Shredder / Grinder Heads (Cont)

• Vertical Shaft
• Disk with fixed teeth

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Shredder / Grinder Heads (Cont)

• Horizontal Shaft
• Drum with free-swinging stirrup knives or
  hammers

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Shredder / Grinder Heads (Cont)

• Horizontal Shaft
• Drum with fixed teeth

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Considerations When Selecting Equipment

• Desired Outcome

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Considerations When Selecting Equipment (Cont)

• Size of Material to be Treated
• Head Capacity
• Machine Power
• Technique

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Considerations When Selecting Equipment (Cont)

• Tree Spacing
• Machine Width
• Boom Reach
• Boom Swing
• Tail Swing
• Turning Radius

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Considerations When Selecting Equipment (Cont)

• Slope

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Considerations When Selecting Equipment (Cont)

• Uneven Terrain

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Considerations When Selecting Equipment (Cont)

• Obstacles on Site
• Logs
• Stumps
• Boulders
• Rock Outcroppings

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Considerations When Selecting Equipment (Cont)

• Soil Impacts
• Disturbance
• Machine Weight
• Ground Pressure

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Equipment Usage on Landscape Sized Projects

• Use sparingly

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Equipment Usage on Landscape Sized Projects

• Use sparingly
• Use to prepare site prior to Rx fire
• Reduce escape potential around unit perimeter
• Reduce impact of fire in sensitive areas such as
  riparian zones and TE sites

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Equipment Usage on Landscape Sized Projects

• Use sparingly
• Use to prepare site prior to Rx fire
• Can be used to create sheltered fuel breaks

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Equipment Usage on Landscape Sized Projects

• Use sparingly
• Use to prepare site prior to Rx fire
• Can be used to create sheltered fuel breaks
• Can be used for maintenance of sheltered fuel
  breaks if chemicals are not acceptable

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Equipment Usage with the Wildland Urban Interface

• Use to create defensible space
• between houses and forest

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Equipment Usage with the Wildland Urban Interface
(Cont)

• Reduce wildfire risk to structures

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Equipment Usage with the Wildland Urban Interface
(Cont)

• Reduce risk of structure related
• fires propagating into forest

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Summary

• Mastication is just one option for fuels treatment

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Summary

• Mastication is just one option for fuels
  treatment
• Equipment is readily available
• (commercially available equipment info
  available from Missoula Technology Development
  Center, Phone [phone], Publication No. 0051
  2826, Understory Biomass Reduction Methods
  Equipment Catalog)

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Summary

• Mastication is just one option for fuels
  treatment
• Equipment is readily available
• Equipment is relatively expensive

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Summary (Cont)

• Production rates are relatively slow

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Summary (Cont)

• Production rates are relatively slow
• Mastication equipment does offer advantages over
  other options when used appropriately

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Questions?
Contact Keith Windell, 406-329-3956,
kwindell_at_fs.fed.us