An analysis of the effect of aspect and vegetation type on fine fuel moisture content in eucalypt forest

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alen Slijepcevic ◽  
Wendy R. Anderson ◽  
Stuart Matthews ◽  
David H. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Site Effect ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Average Moisture Content ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Moist Forest ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content

The magnitude of site effect on dead fine fuel moisture content (FMC) in eucalypt forests was investigated for different fuel strata: bark, near-surface, top and profile litter. In addition, the variation across two fire seasons in litter FMC and fraction of fuel available for burning was analysed. Over different fuel strata, the aspect effect ranged from an average moisture content of ~3% in the dry forest to 11% in the moist forest, but the effect in the moist forest could also be attributed to increased vegetation cover. For the top litter (first 1 cm of litter), moisture content averaged ~4% higher than bark, and 3% lower than profile (whole) litter, differences being higher on the wetter sites. Site effects were greatest for profile and least for bark. The percentage of days that the top litter moisture content fell into categories associated with severe fire behaviour and prescribed burning availability was calculated for each site in the different forest types to facilitate discussion of fire management planning.

Fuel management effectiveness in a mixed heathland: a comparison of the effect of different treatment types on fire initiation risk

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Marino ◽  
Carmen Hernando ◽  
Javier Madrigal ◽  
Carmen Díez ◽  
Mercedes Guijarro
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Logistic Models ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Fuel Management ◽  
Treatment Type ◽  
Fire Initiation ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content

Fuel management is commonly used to reduce fire risk in fire-prone shrubland, but information about the real efficacy of the different techniques is scarce. In this study, we assessed in the laboratory the effects of different treatment types on fire initiation risk in a mixed heathland. The effects of two mechanical treatments and of prescribed burning were compared with untreated vegetation. Flammability tests were performed in samples of the regenerated shrubs and fine ground fuels present 2 years after treatments. Results indicate that all treatments were effective in reducing fire initiation risk in regenerated shrubs, but not in fine ground fuels. Recovery of vegetation differed between treatments, and treatment type had a significant effect on flammability, mainly affecting fire sustainability. Wind speed had a minor effect on shrub fuel flammability, whereas fuel moisture had a significant effect. The flammability of fine ground fuels differed significantly depending on fuel moisture content, even at the low levels tested. Logistic models were fitted to predict successful fire sustainability, and the probability of initial propagation was obtained as a function of treatment type, fuel moisture content and fuel structural characteristics. This study provides new insights into wildfire prevention in shrubland, and compares the effectiveness of different fuel treatment techniques.

Predicting 1-H Dead Fuel Moisture Content at Regional Scales Using Machine Learning from Himawari-8 Data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunquan Fan ◽  
Binbin He ◽  
Peng Kong ◽  
Hao Xu ◽  
Qiang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content

scholarly journals Evaluating the Effects of Projected Climate Change on Forest Fuel Moisture Content

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 65-69
Author(s):  
Kellen Nelson ◽  
Daniel Tinker
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Mature Forest ◽  
Forest Fuel ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content

Understanding how live and dead forest fuel moisture content (FMC) varies with seasonal weather and stand structure will improve researchers’ and forest managers’ ability to predict the cumulative effects of weather on fuel drying during the fire season and help identify acute conditions that foster wildfire ignition and high rates of fire spread. No studies have investigated the efficacy of predicting FMC using mechanistic water budget models at daily time scales through the fire season nor have they investigated how FMC may vary across space. This study addresses these gaps by (1) validating a novel mechanistic live FMC model and (2) applying this model with an existing dead FMC model at three forest sites using five climate change scenarios to characterize how FMC changes through time and across space. Sites include post-fire 24-year old forest, mature forest with high canopy cover, and mature forest affected by the mountain pine beetle with moderate canopy cover. Climate scenarios include central tendency, warm/dry, warm/wet, hot/dry, and hot/wet.

Effects of distribution of bulk density and moisture content on shrub fires

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambarish Dahale ◽  
Selina Ferguson ◽  
Babak Shotorban ◽  
Shankar Mahalingam
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Solid Fuel ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Propagation Speed ◽  
Fire Spread ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Combustion Heat ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content

Formulation of a physics-based model, capable of predicting fire spread through a single elevated crown-like shrub, is described in detail. Predictions from the model, obtained by numerical solutions to governing equations of fluid dynamics, combustion, heat transfer and thermal degradation of solid fuel, are found to be in fairly good agreement with experimental results. In this study we utilise the physics-based model to explore the importance of two parameters – the spatial variation of solid fuel bulk density and the solid fuel moisture content – on the burning of an isolated shrub in quiescent atmosphere. The results suggest that vertical fire spread rate within an isolated shrub and the time to initiate ignition within the crown are two global parameters significantly affected when the spatial variation of the bulk density or the variation of fuel moisture content is taken into account. The amount of fuel burnt is another parameter affected by varying fuel moisture content, especially in the cases of fire propagating through solid fuel with moisture content exceeding 40%. The specific mechanisms responsible for the reduction in propagation speed in the presence of higher bulk densities and moisture content are identified.

Modelling fine fuel moisture content and the likelihood of fire spread in blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) litter

2014 ◽  
pp. 353-359
Author(s):  
Anita Pinto ◽  
Juncal Espinosa-Prieto ◽  
Carlos Rossa ◽  
Stuart Matthews ◽  
Carlos Loureiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Eucalyptus Globulus ◽  
Fire Spread ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content ◽  
Blue Gum

scholarly journals SAR-enhanced mapping of live fuel moisture content

2020 ◽  
Vol 245 ◽  
pp. 111797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Rao ◽  
A. Park Williams ◽  
Jacqueline Fortin Flefil ◽  
Alexandra G. Konings
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Live Fuel Moisture ◽  
Fuel Moisture Content
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