Welders And Fire Season

First of all let me know if we have a thread like this.

Fire season is fast approaching for people in California, as I’m sure other states are there or soon.

What precautions should be taken when welding outside?

My Jeep is on the side of the house parked in grass for example. Short of building a pole barn, car port or shop, I have been thinking of precautions.

Remove all vegetation for a 10’ to 15’ radius.

Water surrounding areas with sprinkler.

Have someone stand guard for said fire, with extinguisher.



Thread on fire extinguishers if you missed it.
Fire Extinguishers

 

I was cutting up some scrap iron outside my shop a couple weeks back with an abrasive cutoff saw. Throwing lots of sparks, caught a little patch of dry grass on fire. Two stomps and it was out, but the risk is there. We've had some rain and things have "greened up", so the danger is less now. I'd say clearing the area and watering it down would be a good idea.

 

Good topic. East coast guys are going to scratch their heads at this thread. I would have too before I moved out here.

Just as a point of reference, one summer afternoon when it was particularly crispy, I took a striker out to the dead grass next to the shop driveway and squeezed it about an inch above the ground. The grass lit up like it was soaked in gas.

I'd suggest wetting the area down before working, and maybe digging a small fire line around the work area, just in case an unseen ember lights up after you are done. It doesn't take much of a break in the foliage to prevent spreading.

 

30 feet of clear space is the company line. (Firefighter is my job that pays the bills)
Crazy how fast it spreads and how easy it is to light on a day with no humidity.

 

In that scenario, I'd hope to see at least a water supply with a hose, and plenty of both, rather than just an extinguisher. Although a 2-½ gallon pressurized water extinguisher would be handy too.

In the right (wrong) conditions fire can spread faster than you can run.

 

When I do work in power plants and I need a hot work order, that means welding or grinding, There needs to be a fire watch for a minimum of 30 min after work is complete with a person trained and holding a fire extinguisher. I live on the east coast and have lit grass on fire and myself too. Be careful and take reasonable precautions.

 

we had to the same thing if hot work was outside of welding shop
and you got more that a slap on hand . if you didn't have one on job site

it use to amaze the guys I worked with
I could weld with only a pair of gloves and short sleeve shirt . of course a hood too


I remember the first welding instructor I met . in welding school did it all the time

 

What, do you guys actually get sun? We get mud season then snow season. I swear I think if a NE Pennsylvanian went to Seattle, we would probably be amazed at weather more cheerful and dryer than ours.

 

So, you're jeep is in Lake County. Dryer most days than a popcorn fart in a TNT shed, Wiley E. You all have had enough flames 'clean up' out most of that country over the last few years, tragic indeed.

You need to have your clearance for the buildings / property - give yourself 30ft to 60ft in the semi-level space (if you have sloping ground, imo you might want more on the sloping approach by up to 4x depending).

Wind will carry embers miles farther than your grinder will throw them.

SO, I'd have weed whacked to the ground all the grass within 30ft, may be rake away (do not pile the cuttings, scatter them or haul them off / put in your yard waste bin - piles of cuttings make nice 'rat-house' intensely fueled messes) then I'd come in 5ft or so from the outer edge, and put a little dirt scrape in. If you got a hose, then 'pre-wet' things down; our north winds and intense sun dries things out fast, so mind your buffer and your moisture. Dries faster yet if you're on a south / westerly facing aspect. Don't do it on windy days... or 'extra-extra' mitigate your windy days with all of the above, may be have someone man a hose or put on a sprinkler after all the above, IDK your specific situation. Prolly wouldn't hurt for them to squirt you off once in a while too, keeps the funk down in the heat

I'd personally have a 2ft dirt scrape (think 'hiking trail') around where I was working (actually, around my entire place in general); offset some from the outer edge, figuring a 20ft buffer for grinder slag spin off - or get one of them 'welding tarps' you fold out / stand up around your work area like an antique clothes changing stand. Don't pile up the crap you scrape off the dirt ... make sure it's scattered or you haul it off. I'd trim up all the brush that might be around, and cut any low hanging branches so they're at least 6ft or higher off the ground. Make your place 'park like' so to speak.

 

Fhoehle: the sun is a real thing. 2/3 if the county basically burned down within the past 5 years. No such thing as a snow season unless it’s every 10-20 years in town. Mountains excluded.

Dane: lake county would be correct. I don’t want to be the reason the county lights up again....

My plan was to make it completely dirt around the Jeep abou 15 feet worth the end of the property to the dirt road. That gives me 20-25 feet of dirt. There is a field next door, though.

I have caught the grass on fire before. Two fire existinguisher, a hose make quick order. However you have to be really quick... 2-3 sq feet of grass burned is no joke after pre watering. I seem to recall it started back up too.

Warlock: I like the two 5 gal buckets of water. Use those up before

Daryl: thanks for the info. Good to hear some information on the topic form guys in this area.


PeteL: I always have water and fire exstinguisher
I just feel it’s not enough in this case.

 

If you have to weld outdoors do it early in the morning when humidity is up have a fire watch..... do not do it on red flag days.clear all vegetation around work area down to bare mineral soil have water fire extinguisher and a shovel on hand

 

All good Ideas........Piff, cut the grass / fuel down to the ground out 20-30 ft from your welding area.........if you have a rototiller or tractor cut a fire break around that work area...........forget windy days and low humidity days.
Arc welders are the worst for sparks as well as grinders & cutting torches .............before starting make sure you have a hose close by with at least 50' of reach from the welding area , wet the area down out to your fire break........when you take a break hit it again and when finished once more & yep you'll probably get your boots muddy......but a couple of pieces of plywood around the work area will help....

Most fires are started by folks that are not paying attention.........preparing for one and having a plan in place is half the battle....

 

Wow, and you guys worry about the southeast during tornado season. I can't imagine having to worry like you guys do about burning crap up. I feel for y'all in the late spring and summer. Don't get me wrong we do have some fires around here but there generally set or created by complete idiots burning **** when they shouldn't be. We really don't have to worry about summer heat or dryness on a regular basis.

Stay safe!

 

Saw a fire started from swinging a golf club...

X2 on grinders being flame theowers by comparison

 

Can you guys even breathe if you come back east? I would think that most of you guys would be sick from our humidity in just a day or so. Right now it is 86° outside with 98% humidity. You sweat just standing there for 5-10 minutes. I could run a welder and a grinder outside all day with no fear of catching anything on fire.

 

Breathe? Sure. It will be 110* here this summer may be as high as 115* in isolated areas of town. Nights usually cool down to in the 70’s for an hour or two.

Lived in Virginia for about 5 years. Noth Georgia for a year. Worked in Nashville for a couple of years.

Yea, i like my ‘dry heat’, and the 50* swings from night to mornings, especially in the mountains, but that just means you will see the salt on my shirt where the sweat dried, as it is a different kind of two shirt day.