AN EXPERIENCE IN EXTINGUISHING PEAT-BOG FIRES BY FLOODING

An experience of eliminating peat-bog fires in summer period on the territory of Sverdlovsk Oblast is summarized in the article. It was found that most peat-bog fires develop from fugitive grassroots fires in May, when forest fire peak is observed in the region. Most often, peak fires occur on abandoned drained peat bogs. When a runway ground fire spreads across an uncovered peat bog in areas with bare peat or with a significant supply of ground combustible materials combustion deepens into a peat deposit and multifocal peat-bog fires are formed. In addition, the detection of fires in drained peatlands in spring is often associated with peat fires that were not extinguished last year. The most effective way to eliminate peat-bog fire is flooding, in which special dams are created up to 0.5 m high, which prevent the discharge of water along the relief elements streams, and channels. The first dam is created in the lowest place of the smoldering centers and then a cascade of additional dams is created up the terrain relief. Each dam should hold the water level up to 0.5 m. It is experimentally established, that by the method of flooding 80 % of all peat-bog fires can be extinguished. Where it is impossible to extinguish fire by flooding, it extinguished with a concentrated stream of water. After the elimination of peat-bog fire it is required long term monitoring of the extinguished area, since it is possible that open smoldering foci will reignite.