Forestry

Fire protection for machines and vehicles in the Forestry, Sawmill, and Paper industry

Around a third of the world's surface is covered with forest. Besides providing water and mitigating climate change, they are also home to most of the earth's terrestrial biodiversity.

The forests provide livelihoods for many people. Working with forestry means working in harsh and often isolated locations, and often you are working alone. As an owner and operator of a forestry machine, one of the most significant risks you are facing is fire. 

Fire incidents

Forestry machines often run at high temperatures, carry large amounts of flammable oils and fuels, and tend to accumulate highly flammable debris in and around hot areas. Also, workers are surrounded by flammable materials like wood chips, sawdust, and trees and often work several kilometres away from emergency assistance. If a fire breaks out on a forestry machine, the results can be dramatic not only to the machine itself but due to the risk of the environment it is in.  

Dafo Vehicle Fire Suppression System

In Sweden, insurance companies demand on-board fire suppression systems on machinery used for forestry, peat, and chipping. The Dafo Vehicle fire protection system is particularly effective for forest machinery, and vehicles operating in sawmills and the paper industry where a combination of fibrous materials with oils and fuels can cause severe fires. 

Engines, hydraulics, fuel, and electrical installations pose the most significant fire risks for vehicles. These fires often spread quickly and are hard to extinguish with a handheld extinguisher. Correctly planned and installed, a fire suppression system is a fast and effective way of providing the protection you need to prevent a disaster.   

Dafo Vehicle’s systems are easy to maintain and refill on-site, reducing downtime and operational costs when machines often operate in remote places. 

How the fire protection system works

The Dafo Vehicle fire suppression system consists of four integrated elements; Detection, Alarm, Suppression and Control, which work together in a coordinated, fast and efficient way to suppress fires. The detection system consists of a linear heat detector wire. It has a fixed temperature sensor with an alarm signal triggered when the activation temperature of 180°C is reached. This signal punctures the burst disc of the propellant gas cartridge, which releases nitrogen into the agent container.

The Forrex liquid is distributed to the nozzles through the pipe system. At the same time, the alarm system is activated, and an alarm horn in the vehicle and a light signal in the panel will warn the driver. The liquid agent will push away the oxygen, cool down the overheated engine parts, impregnate the burning material, stick to surfaces and effectively prevent re-ignition. The Forrex is non-corrosive and environmentally friendly. 

The control unit has a Real-time Clock and Event Log that allows access to historical data, making it possible to analyze previous events.