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A driptorch is a tool used in wildfire suppression, controlled burning, and other
The driptorch consists of a canister for holding fuel with a handle attached to the side, a spout with a loop to prevent fire from entering the fuel canister, a breather valve to allow air into the canister while fuel is exiting through the spout, and a wick from which flaming fuel is dropped to the ground. The wick is ignited and allows the fire to be directed as needed. The spout and wick can be secured upside down inside the canister for storage or transport. Typically the fuel used is a mixture of
File:20200910-FS-Sierra-tls-121 (50333277938).jpg, A driptorch used for a controlled burn in response to the 2020 Creek Fire in California
File:Drip torch firing.jpg, Using a driptorch to ignite a prescribed fire
File:Burn9582.JPG, ATV mounted driptorch
File:A Burning for Conservation in Southeastern South Dakota (16792741737).jpg, Driptorch used in Southeastern South Dakota for a controlled burn.
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...
applications to intentionally ignite fires by dripping flaming fuel onto the ground.
Description
The driptorch consists of a canister for holding fuel with a handle attached to the side, a spout with a loop to prevent fire from entering the fuel canister, a breather valve to allow air into the canister while fuel is exiting through the spout, and a wick from which flaming fuel is dropped to the ground. The wick is ignited and allows the fire to be directed as needed. The spout and wick can be secured upside down inside the canister for storage or transport. Typically the fuel used is a mixture of gasoline
Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...
and diesel with a ratio of 30% to 70% respectively, although, the amounts may need to be adjusted according to fuel and weather conditions. Sometimes heavier oils are used to increase adhesion of the liquid fuel to the vegetation, and increase burn time and heat.
Variations of the driptorch can be attached to off-road vehicles, such as tractors, to ignite a fire while driving slowly along the ignition line. Another variant of the driptorch is the '' helitorch'', which is attached to a helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
and is used to ignite fire from the air.
Usage
The intentional ignition of fires is a common firefighting tactic. A burnout (also called a firing operation, firing out or a back burn) is a smaller fire ignited along a control line ahead of the main fire. The intent is to consume fuel ahead of the main fire, strengthening the control line. A backfire is a more aggressive type of burning done to influence the behavior of the main fire. In forest and prairie management, the driptorch is the most common tool used to ignite prescribed burns, which are used to remove excess fuel buildup or to re-create natural cycles of fire in anecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...
. Other tools which can also be used for this purpose include the ''fusee'', a pyrotechnic device similar to a road flare, other pyrotechnic devices, or even burning vegetative fuels.
See also
* Fire flapper (tool) * Flare * Flare gun * Glossary of wildland fire terms * McLeod (tool) * Pulaski (tool)References
External links
* {{Firefighting Forestry tools Wildfire suppression equipment