Home or Property Brush Fire Fighting Rig/Equipment - What do you have or use?

[Snattlerake]

How many hp is your tractor? A tractor and disk doesn't go empty like a 500 gallon water tank. It doesn't freeze and crack fittings either.

During control burn season it isn't uncommon to have cold snaps or nights cold enough to freeze a pump or a valve and potentially crack them if not purged.

Fire jumps firebreaks. Several miles in fact.

 

[Parks 788]

Is there a PTO version of that tank?

Not on these types of water trailers. These are powered by 2" dewatering pumps and can also syphon from a pond or other water source to fill the tank. Or a hydrant if close by.

He’s got the right idea. A pond near the house, with a portable generator, water pump, and hose handy.

I have now water on my property other than two wells.

We had a thread about this not too long ago, within the last year, IIRC. I recall discussions of using a few of those big IBC totes on a 16' utility trailer and a PTO-driven pump.

Matt Carriker of Demolition Ranch made a water-spraying rig out of a utility trailer and some totes on his Matt Carriker (formerly Off the Ranch, where he's doing his abandoned resort restoration) YouTube channel. He had his set up for spraying down the gravel road, but the idea's the same. I think he used an electric (or maybe gas-powered) pump instead of PTO-driven, but he had it setup so he could turn some valves and use the pump to fill the totes from a pond or the river.

Yeah, these water trailer have two sprayers on the back corners of the trailer that put out a ton of volume. I actually brought one home from work several weeks ago when I burn my brush piles. Turned it one with the sprayers off the back and drove in circles around the piles several times to soak the grass and it worked well. Then parked it hooked to my truck about 20 yards away with the fire hose out and ready to go. Wetted down the grass occasionally jsut for insurance.

Ag supply businesses have them. Used to spray herbicides on pastures

Yes. They do. THey are very similar in design but wouldn't think they woud have enough GPM to produce much a water stream/gpm other than for spraying herbicides.


My neighbor with the cattle has a skid mounted unit specifically fpr fire fighting that goes in the bed of his UTV. By only concern is it only holds 70 gallons and the hose is 3/4" or so. It would help but I think I'd prefer much more capacity and GPM.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Fire jumps firebreaks. Several miles in fact.

Somewhat true. If it is that condition he won't be stopping a fire with a single 500 gallon tank.

I am not gonna argue. IYKYK.

 

[Snattlerake]

Years ago when the fires came close to my cousin's house, he was adamant he could use a hose from his well to water down his house, except when the fire department cut the electric lines.

I had the idea of setting up an oscillating sprinkler on my roof during a fire to keep my roof wet.

I also had the idea of an external fire sprinkler system for homeowners. I would essentially use PVC and fittings for indoor sprinkler systems and hook it up to the pump run by my Generac or the public water system. In my area, I have over 150 lbs pressure. In fact, I have to throttle the pressure at the city shutoff valve or I will have severe water hammer even with those anti-hammer things installed.

The pipe could be fastened temporarily to the roof and the sprinkler heads could be adjusted to cover the roof and the surrounding grounds around the house.

 

[dennishoddy]

Somewhat true. If it is that condition he won't be stopping a fire with a single 500 gallon tank.

I am not gonna argue. IYKYK.

Very true. My local Rural FD said my inground 30,000 gallon pool would be depleted in minutes if they had to fight a house fire and probably not save the house if a tanker wasn't available.
Oklahomabassin and others on this forum have been fighting grass and structure fires for many years, so take their advice to heart. They have seen it all.
Personally, we keep the grass short with trees and bushes away from the house. Nothing flammable near it that can't be put out with a tractor sprayer.
Those with homes surrounded with trees and bushes suffer.
I live in Osage County. Huge ranches, some I used to work on as a kid. Still have good friends there.
When there is a big fire, people come out to help.
In the 90's there was the million acre fire that started from Highway 60 between Ponca City and Pawhuska. Got a call to help and rode horses north of the fire to cut fences so cows could have an escape 20 miles ahead of the fire. Bluegrass that's 4-5' tall travels quickly. So fast that cattle and horses can't get out of the way sometimes.
Here is a little explanation.

https://wfca.com/wildfire-articles/how-fast-do-wildfires-spread/

 

[Parks 788]

Our main house should be safe from fires as I keep the pastures on all four sides mowed and we have about 50'-70' of manicured lawn between the house and pastures depending on which side. No big trees that could catch fire near the house and have embers blow on to it. The small house/mobile home is a bit more prone to ember caused fire but still have a pretty good cushion around it with manicured lawn. Lots of great info in this tread. Appreciate all the input so far.

 

[Bigdawg90]

So I built this one for our property. We had a brush fire scare this past year:

Trailer was difficult to find. I wanted a 3500 axle under an 8’ trailer. Cost me $1k on marketplace. I then picked up a 330 gal IBC tote, and the 79cc 1” harbor freight water pump. I put a valve on the output of the pump so I can have it running but not dumping. All in I was at $1300. Best part is it’s light enough to tow around with my tractor.

The harbor freight pump can fill our pigs 55 gal drum in a little over a minute.

I was able to burn a lot more this year and feel good about doing it.

When I’m using it for fire suppression, I attached a 1” output hose and a fire nozzle. It’ll shoot about 50-100’.

For everything else, I run a regular garden hose so that’s it semi rigid and easy to store

 

[dennishoddy]

View attachment 464614
So I built this one for our property. We had a brush fire scare this past year:

Trailer was difficult to find. I wanted a 3500 axle under an 8’ trailer. Cost me $1k on marketplace. I then picked up a 330 gal IBC tote, and the 79cc 1” harbor freight water pump. I put a valve on the output of the pump so I can have it running but not dumping. All in I was at $1300. Best part is it’s light enough to tow around with my tractor.

The harbor freight pump can fill our pigs 55 gal drum in a little over a minute.

I was able to burn a lot more this year and feel good about doing it.

When I’m using it for fire suppression, I attached a 1” output hose and a fire nozzle. It’ll shoot about 50-100’.

For everything else, I run a regular garden hose so that’s it semi rigid and easy to store

Awesome set-up! Those totes are around everywhere. Great idea.

 

[OKRuss]

Built one similar to what bigdawg90 has. Got off youtube and likely what @SoonerP226 was referring to.

 

[7stw]

A battery powered leaf blower can do a lot if you catch it early enough as well. I use a similar setup as a few above. Ibc tote and a gas powered pump. Mounts in an old pickup bed trailer. Some of the big ranches around me have some amazing fire rigs made on Duce and a half’s. They would rival anything the local fire departments have.