Tools of the Wildland Firefighter

CUTTING TOOLS

• Brush hook: The brush hook is designed for clearing dense brush in locations difficult for attack with an ax.

• Paulaski: The main tool for a wildland firefighter. This tool has two functions one edge is used like a light ax, the other end is used for digging, cutting roots and trenching.

• Sandvik: Designed for clearing dense brush in locations difficult to reach with an ax. This is smaller and a lighter tool easier to use in tight places.

SCRAPING TOOLS

• Fire Shovel: The shovel is used for digging, scraping, smothering, cutting light fuels and throwing dirt. The fire shovel has a sharpened blade at the point used for cutting through roots and other vegetation.

LEAF BLOWER

• Gas Powered leaf blower: Portable leaf blowers have been used very effectively to construct a fire line, especially when the primary fuel is an accumulation of hardwood leaf litter. This tool facilitates line construction in rocky areas where it is difficult to build a line with hand tools and in situations where manpower is not readily available, it can essentially produce the same quantity of work as seven firefighters.

• Backpack Tank: The backpack tank is an effective fire line tool. It is used to transport and deliver a stream of water with a trombone-type hand pump. The tank can be made of metal or plastic and has a 5 gallon capacity. Full with water these can weigh as much as 45 pounds.