As a Firefighter I want to say thanks for the awesome footage. Many of us in the profession know what a backdraft is and how to avoid it. However; I personally never seen one with this much details.
Thanks for your service. I just run out of burning buildings (far too often for my liking to be honest) but it takes a special type of awesome dysfunction to run into one!
"If a plane flies through smoke, does it drop?" 6:02 Yes, it does. I am a pilot and I have flown over a smoke stack of an industrial complex, about 500ft above the stack. The plane didnt "drop" or fall out of the sky but what was experienced was severe turbulence. The rising heat and density change of the air made the plane shake violently for a split second. Thanks for the video.
I experienced a backdraft at a house fire in 1965 when I was a firefighter. I kicked the front door open, saw super heated gases glowing and swirling on the ceiling. The house sucked air in. I could feel and hear the air rushing in past me. I turned to leap off the porch, but was blown off. I escaped unscathed.
I can't bear the responsibility of being a firefighter but these people deserve my respect, especially when they're fighting fires that were deliberately caused by arsonists. Real heroes don't wear capes, they're clad in fire retardant suits and masks.
I imagine firefighters probably bust out as many windows as they can before going in, so that it's already happened and the the risk is lower. Scary just knowing it can happen.
It really shows how dangerous this phenomenon is that trained firefighters giving a demonstration of a backdraft can still be caught off-guard by it happening.
A true firefighter would have know to be a good distance away from a specific fire but the way that this structure was built they knew what sense of direction is was going to go the small hole in the fro t wall was only so small that it wouldn’t grow width I’d that makes sense but yeah he could have stood farther but cmon when you have slo motion cameras it just looks so much better
@@emon2689 Not an idiot, just inexperienced, probably a rookie. This is why they do training. I guarantee that he won’t ever forget what he learned there.
I am currently studying to become a firefighter myself in Sweden, we illustrated this test aswell and had quite a few opportunities to experience this on site. Very beautiful in a controlled environment!
I was in volunteer fire & Rescue for 21 years and, lucky to say, I was never caught in a BackDraft situation...Thank God !!! I helped put a lot of fire out and rescued quite a few people from certain death situations. That long ago and I still feel the blessings from those episodes.
I think they do it to prove they really know how to deal with fire and never get them set on fire. A bit like dothraki braids, except it requires no manual enforcement
@@michaelcaplin8969 thanks, dude, at first I was more into writing a generalistic comment about how every Firefighter has a mustache but as I went to the commentsection myself, I realized people are very much aware of that so it was time for me to question reality.
@@olafbellefroid3393 I'm glad you did some recon and decided to opt for a different route. Otherwise, this wouldn't have existed. And to be honest, your comment makes the world a better place - for everyone!
The “controlled” (opening of the top door) aspect of this demo is most often replaced by a window breaking. So a completely uncontrolled event occurs. We’re trained from early on the signs and details which could lead up to a backdraft so tragedy is avoided.
@@dreed100 The word "material" implies a solid. Solid water is hardly fireproof and you would be hard put to build anything from helium. However, water is not fireproof. Putting out a magnesium fire with water is a huge mistake as the magnesium will break the water molecules apart and use the oxygen to keep burning. That leaves the hydrogen behind which also burns. Similarly, putting out a sodium fire with water is also very entertaining. As long as you view it from a sufficient distance and not from the end of a hoseline!
@@johns7734 And then we have fluorine fires which will make almost anything flammable, including things that aren't flammable in an oxygen atmosphere like a block of iron. And then ClF3 takes it past 11 and up to 20 and I'm reasonably sure can react to anything short of N2 or noble gasses.
I was a full time Fireman for 30 years, an indication that a backdraft is imminent, is to look for 'pulsing' of the smoke coming out of the building, just about visible in these scenarios although not very clear at all. I was once doing 'flashover' training and actually inside a container on fire just like this, after we extinguished the fire, I looked at the temperature recording equipment, it showed 520 degrees celsius at head height, we were lower than a snakes belly putting it out!
@@gordonhaire9206 I presume you are in the USA? In Britain we were FIREMEN. I have the documentation to prove that 46 years ago I joined as, and was titled and referred to, as a FIREMAN, don't be so quick to assume that the USA rules the world on job titles. Incidentally, in Britain our title only changed to the rather odious 'firefighter' after women were allowed to apply!
I’m a volunteer firefighter, i actually got trapped in an attic when a backdraft occurred. I’m very lucky to be alive. It was incredible being engulfed in fire. I did suffer severe 3rd degree burns and had to have skin grafts. But the fact that I survived is amazing.
1:55 I loved how as they mention the couch is going to get cooked up they say aww and relax one more time on the seat to give it some love and enjoy it before its toast lol.
This is the first time I have ever heard of this channel or got recommended something like this. I have to give you props on the filming and editing part of this video. I have never seen something like this before in my almost 26 years of life and it is very educational.
SEE, the first one is Exactly why they are so dangerous. One more second and that guy would have gotten a face full of fire. Mad respect for the guy for being a pro and walking it off.
@ Exactly what I was thinking. They are preparing it, they know it is unpredictable and they know that it shows no signs before going. GO AROUND THE BACK MORON!!
He had to expect this to happen but he walked to the from. This is like walking infront of the barrels on a shooting range. This is begging for being crippled / killed. Idiot! "What could possibly go wrong?"
His kit is designed to withstand high temperatures, so even if he was in the centre, as long as he either fell to the ground or jumped out of the way as soon as it made contact he should have been fine.
This happened to our department and the city fire department when they called us in to a large corncob bin fire. Two large doors where open to allow us to pour water streams into the structure. We'd been there for almost an hour when my chief ordered me to go fill somebody's air bottle. The truck with the cascade unit was just outside of the fireground as I changed the guy's air bottle. That being done, I got on the horn and asked the chief if I could set up the cascade to fill more air bottles, as this job looked like it was going to be a long, drawn out affair. He said " Yeah, go ahead Ron." As I put the empty bottle into the steel bucket to start filling it, I heard a loud, rattling, booming sound and looked up in time to see a huge plume of orange-blue flame, smoke and burning corn cobs engulfing the city's engine and everyone there in that area. I saw the top of the bin lifted up and clanged back down again, with flaming corn cobs rocketing into the air. Silence then surrounded the area, except the sound of our trucks. My first thought was " My God, they're all dead!" But then I heard one of the paid city guys call out, "Eyeee-haaaaaa!!!" Okay, time to go. Somebody's okay! I grabbed my gear and ran back in there to help pick up the pieces. In all, three of Fremont's guys had some burns and bruises, while ten of us volunteers where battered around more by the backdraft. Two had dislocated shoulders, while others suffered from bumps, bruises and some burns. A friend of mine didn't know he'd wrenched his back after everybody was transported to the hospital to be checked out. ( the adrenaline wore off!) What's spooky about it? It was Halloween, 1997. We got our Halloween scare...
@@Cookie-gw1vv It did! Believe me, it did. It put our department out of action for a couple of days until we could get the equipment we lost replaced. If you can, look up in the Fremont Tribune, (Nebraska) November 1, 1997. The fire is in there.
Fremont Rural Fire Department does have a Facebook page. Go there and ask about that fire. October 31, 1997. Fremont, Nebraska. Ask about that fire at Junior Weiser's.
I along with so many others have had a flashover, not a backdraught, pass completely over my head to curl down the wall behind me. Your friend is your PPE and your hose. You MUST keep the water on. Drop the hose and try to exit and you probably won't make it without serious injury. All you can do it keep cooling the air until the gases have burnt off. It is terrifying the first time and not much better in subsequent events. The lazy orange flame covering the ceiling is quite spectacular. Prior to the issue of flashoods and Nomex gloves to us in the 80's hand and facial burns, especially the ears, were very common. Even with the hoods and gloves you would still boil in your own sweat and suffer heat syncope. We lost a young guy from one of my old stations in Greater Manchester after he suffered debilitating heat syncope and dropped on his way out. Absolutely tragic, a fire started by two young girls messing about burning brochures outside and pushing them under an external door to a hair dressers. Fire can be quite beautiful especially filmed in slow motion but we obviously never forget just how deadly that beauty can be. Thank you for demonstrating the dangers we face.
I have heard the term "backdraft" all my life and never really understood what it actually was, its rather amazing! When you think a bit about it the whole time that the fire is smoldering/little burning the materials inside the box its also creating unburnt gasses from the smoldering material and suddenly you intro oxygen and all those gasses along with everything else GOES very fast! Rather amazing to say the least! To all FIREMEN: Be Careful!!!
Here in the US, we are big fans of Hickory wood flavor in our food. I worked at one of only two locations that made a product called "Liquid Smoke". I was a furnace operator there burning 8 tons of hickory chips in an 8-hour shift. Basically keeping the furnace right at 5 to 15 seconds away from a backdraft event. Looking back, I guess I was a bit of an expert/fire teaser at creating the perfect environment for backdrafts, without letting it actually have one occur. We had a very tall smokestack with metal walls inside over each furnace. Suspended inside were racks of wires hanging from top to bottom of the stack. Wires were connected to antique X-Ray machines which created a very high electrical field between the wires in the stack. Smoke gets thick enough and the electrical discharge made the smoke attract to the walls as an oily, resin-like deposit. Gravity and heat collected this Liquid Smoke at the bottom of the stack and then when my barrel got full I would pump it out to an above-ground storage tank for processing at another facility to make the food flavorings and extracts. Our wall phone, opposite the furnaces, was a frequent victim of the backdrafts. Even though it was 20 to 30 feet away, Salvador Dali would have used that melted thing in his artwork without hesitation! When the furnace DID belch fire from a backdraft, your best choice was to just fall back and let it go over you. Quite a sight to see, and an attention-getter there mates! Between the flames, smoke, and high voltage electricity, it was a very dynamic job experience, to say the least!
Incredible footage. Just found your channel have liked and subscribed. Thanks for sharing I'll be exploring your channel content within the next few weeks! Thank you again for making and sharing this video. Awesome.
Crazy, my dad was a Volunteer fireman. After watching this, a visual representation of the complete and total danger that he potentially was in in many situations. Brings new understanding to just how dangerous fire is. And how dangerous fighting fire can be. Thank you
This 'Backdraft' phenomenon reminds me of a film form the early 90's, which featured these 'Backdrafts', and the difficulty firefighters face in tackling 'Backdrafts'. I believe the film was called... "the Very Dangerous Fire".
Barnaby, well played. Now get back to making hilarious Dabchick videos, if you would be so kind. Seriously though, I actually chortled. Not just chuckled or tittered, but actually chortled.
POV: after watching this when it first came out you decided to join the fire service. Now you’re watching a few years later to remind you of good times.
You guys are so good with the camera angles and the editing ithe editing it looks so incredible For some reason I keep thinking what would happen if we took this footage and brought it to someone a 100 years ago 200 or 300 to just show them the kind of stuff we can see in the detail and the shading and it's just beautiful
Backdraft: Everyone in training is told about it and how dangerous it is but no one in training sees one; because it's rarely seen and too hard to recreate. Then we get to see a firefighter who knows this show us an accident prone mindset caused by "explained" training. Did the SloMoGuys perform a public service?
The Republic of Ustio Not going to lie, that would, to help fuel our desires I recommend this picture from Operation Tumbler-Snapper where milliseconds after the bomb exploded the picture was took. THAT is what's awesome
Oh my goodness! The first firefighter that got the first blast, I hope he is okay. I remember the movie Back draft. But now I know what it means. I will keep the firefighters in my prayers. This video really opened my eyes to the dangers the firefighters face.
richb313 why do you think the fire department let them do it? I know they have a large budget now, but I can't imagine they could afford to pay the city back for all those fire fighters' time alone. The fire fighters got the better deal with free slow motion analysis. Saved them a few thousand dollars
Now i know where legends about fire-breathing dragons come from. Imagine medieval villager watching wooden house burning from inside, flames went off, then someone opens the door...
This is the best episode you have ever made. I knew the science behind a backdraft, but had no concept of the reality involved. The instantaneous ignition is amazing, but what really blew me away was the power of the wind. Backdrafts have been described as a "flash of fire when the air ignites" and its weird to think of air burning, however it really IS air burning, (or at least the oxygen), that is burning. You don't think about it but oxygen is extremely flammable; that's why you never smoke around anyone who is using an oxygen tank! Still, that wind, oh my oh my. Stay safe out there brothers.
@@elbenezermirabuena7755 about the Minecraft vids one, I'm slightly confused as to where you got that? i don't watch Minecraft or play very often, I mostly watch science videos with the exception of perhaps this kind of stuff, if it makes any sense?
5:50 I love how you can see the cool air rushing in the bottom of the doors opening as the hot smoke races out the top. Gotta love them thermodynamics!
Funny that the whole point was the sudden and violent explosion that they're trying to create and the fireman just walks face first up to the opening and misses the fire ball by about 8 inches. I mean dude, come on.
This serves as a great training video AND a great Slo Mo video. That was pretty impressive, the sheer power is tremendous! Can't imagine being inside at that point!
I appreciate the idea behind this video, Backdrafts are such terrifying things. thanks for teaching people! ^^ And they can be much faster depending on the situation and location of a fire.
Firefighters are a special breed of human. I'm humbled by their bravery and seeing this, it gives me an even greater respect for them! Incredible! Good footage. Very well done.
On March 30, 2019, 30 firefighters lost their lives when putting out a forest fire in Sichuan, China due to sudden changes of the wind causing explosions. R.I.P.