The Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System as a predictor of total soil moisture content as estimated by the Thornthwaite water balance

1985 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1194-1195
Author(s):  
Robert S. McAlpine ◽  
Thomas G. Eiber
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Index System ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
Total Soil

Weather data from Upsala and Atikokan, Ontario, were used to determine the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System values and to calculate the soil moisture for two soil types using the Thornthwaite water balance. The Duff Moisture Code and the Drought Code were found to give excellent correlations with the total soil moisture content under most weather patterns.

Relationships between the moisture content of fine woody fuels in lodgepole pine slash and the Fine Fuel Moisture Code of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Trowbridge ◽  
M. C. Feller
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Index System ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
Moisture Contents

Unsuccessful attempts to ignite slash resulting from the mechanical knocking down of lodgepole pine in west central British Columbia led to a short-term investigation of the relationship between the Fine Fuel Moisture Code of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System and the moisture content of various fine fuel components <1 cm in diameter. Of the types of fuel sampled, the moisture contents of B.C. Forest Service fuel moisture sticks and aged slash were similar to, and well correlated (r = 0.79 and 0.81, respectively) with, the equivalent moisture content calculated from the Fine Fuel Moisture Code. The Fine Fuel Moisture Code was not designed to relate to the moisture content of uncured fuels. Thus, the moisture contents of fresh living slash (material from knocked down trees still attached to living roots) and of fresh dead slash (material unattached to living trees that had not yet experienced a complete fire season in which to fully cure) were poorly correlated with moisture content (r = 0.16 and 0.42, respectively). The moisture content of the progressively curing, needle-bearing fresh dead slash was relatively high at the beginning of the fire season, but became similar to the moisture content during the first half of July. This suggests that the Fine Fuel Moisture Code can also be used to predict the moisture content of such fine slash after these fuels have cured for approximately 3 months during the snow-free period.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Interpretation of the Drought Code of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System

Fire ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Index System ◽  
Alternative Interpretation ◽  
Water Balance Model ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
System Of Units

The Drought Code (DC) was developed as part of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System in the early 1970s to represent a deep column of soil that dries relatively slowly. Unlike most other fire danger indices or codes that operate on gravimetric moisture content and use the logarithmic drying equation to represent diffusion, the DC is based on a model that balances daily precipitation and evaporation. This conceptually simple water balance model was ultimately implemented using a “shortcut” equation that facilitated ledgering by hand but also mixed the water balance model with the abstraction equation, obscuring the logic of the model and concealing two important variables. An alternative interpretation of the DC is presented that returns the algorithm to an equivalent but conceptual form that offers several advantages: The simplicity of the underlying water balance model is retained with fewer variables, constants, and equations. Two key variables, daily depth of water storage and actual evaporation, are exposed. The English system of units is eliminated and two terms associated with precipitation are no longer needed. The reduced model does not include or depend on any soil attributes, confirming that the nature of the “DC equivalent soil” cannot be precisely known. While the “Conceptual Algorithm” presented here makes it easier to interpret and understand the logic of the DC, users may continue to use the equivalent “Implemented Algorithm” operationally if they wish.

Relating changes in duff moisture to the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System in Populus tremuloides stands in Elk Island National Park

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 1987-1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. Otway ◽  
E. W. Bork ◽  
K. R. Anderson ◽  
M. E. Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Index System ◽  
National Park ◽  
National Standard ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
Elk Island National Park ◽  
Topographic Positions

The manner in which trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx.) forest duff moisture changes during the growing season was investigated in Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada. A calibration–validation procedure incorporating one calibration site with moisture sampling across three topographic positions was used to develop predictive models, which were subsequently compared with 12 validation sites across three vegetation types throughout the Park. Duff moisture was modelled against the Duff Moisture Code and Drought Code components of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System. Spring, summer, and fall rates of duff moisture change differed (P < 0.050) during calibration, with moisture loss greatest in spring. Additionally, while moisture changes on the south-facing and crest topographic positions were similar during spring, moisture losses were greater (P < 0.050) at these locations compared with the north-facing landscape position. Correlation analysis indicated that duff inorganic content and bulk density were both related to duff moisture but were limited in importance compared with weather-based influences. When compared with predicted values obtained from calibrated models, moderate predictability of duff moisture was found (mean absolute error = 20.7%–54.2%). Relative to the national standard equations, unique but very different empirical relationships were developed between the Duff Moisture Code and Drought Code and the moisture content of the duff layer in aspen forest stands found in Elk Island National Park.

scholarly journals Updated Operational Implementation of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System in Ireland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Padraig Flattery ◽  
Klara Finkele ◽  
Paul Downes ◽  
Ferdia O'Leary ◽  
Ciaran Nugent
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Index System ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Fire Danger ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Reference Period ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index

&lt;p&gt;Since 2006 the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System (FWI) has been used operationally at Met &amp;#201;ireann to predict the risk of forest fires in Ireland (Walsh, S, 2006). Although only around 11% or ca 770,000 ha of the total land area of Ireland is afforested, there are also large areas of open mountain and peatlands that are covered in grasses, dwarfshrub and larger woody shrub type vegetation which can provide ready fuel for spring wildfires, when suitable conditions arise. Following winter, much of this vegetation is either dead or has a very low live moisture content, and the flammability of this vegetation can be readily influenced by prevailing weather, most especially following prolonged dry periods. The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine is the Forest Protection authority in Ireland and issues Fire Danger Notices as part of this work. These notices permit improved preparedness for fire responses and are based on information provided by Met &amp;#201;ireann on the current status of FWI and FWI components using observation data at synoptic stations and the predicted FWI for the next five days ahead based on numerical weather prediction input data.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The FWI is based on&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;three different types of forest fuel, ie how quickly these dry out/get rewetted. These are the Fine Fuels Moisture Code (FFMC), the Duff Moisture Code (DMC) and the Drought Code (DC).&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;components based on fire behaviour: the Initial Spread Index (ISI), the Build-up Index (BUI), and the Fire Weather Index (FWI) which represents fire intensity as energy output rate per unit length of fire front. It is then used to determine the Daily Severity Rating (DSR) of the fire danger.&amp;#160;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Of these components, the FFMC and ISI components have been found to provide the most accurate indication of risk under Irish conditions, based on the fuels involved and ignition patterns observed to date.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The DSR was based on a climatology of 1971 to 2005 at the time of operational implantation of the FWI at Met &amp;#201;ireann. An updated climatology based on the new reference period of 1990 to 2020 will be shown as well as the change of the 98 percentiles of extreme rating using this new reference period. &amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Walsh, S.&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;#160;&amp;#8220;Implementation in Ireland of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System.&amp;#8221; In&amp;#160;&lt;em&gt;Making Science Work on the Farm. A Workshop on Decision Support Systems for Irish Agriculture&lt;/em&gt;, 120&amp;#8211;126. Dublin: AGMET, 2007.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;

An index for tracking sheltered forest floor moisture within the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. M. Wotton ◽  
B. J. Stocks ◽  
D. L. Martell
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Moisture Index ◽  
Northern Ontario ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
Overstory Trees

The Duff Moisture Code (DMC) component of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) System is used by fire management agencies across Canada as an indicator of the susceptibility of the forest floor to lightning fire ignition. However, this model was developed for the moisture content of the forest floor away from the sheltering influences of overstory trees, an area where lightning strikes usually ignite the forest floor. Through destructive sampling of the forest floor in a mature jack pine stand in northern Ontario over several summers, the moisture content of the forest floor in sheltered areas close to the boles of dominant overstory trees was found to be significantly lower than in other less heavily sheltered areas of the stand. Observations from a network of in-stand rain gauges revealed that rainfall penetration through the canopy (throughfall) was correlated with both open rainfall amount and the duration of a storm. Observed throughfall amounts were used to develop a throughfall relationship for extremely sheltered locations (within ~0.5 m of the boles) in a mature jack pine stand. This throughfall model was used, along with differences in forest floor drying rate, to develop a new duff moisture index for strongly sheltered areas of the forest floor. Calculated values of this new moisture model, which has the same daily weather observation requirements as the FWI System’s DMC model, were found to match observed moisture contents quite well.

scholarly journals Fire Weather Index Implementation in the Alpine Area

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Cane ◽  
Nadia Ciccarelli ◽  
Renata Pelosini
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
Fire Propagation ◽  
A New Technique ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Piedmont Region

Piedmont region is located in North-Western Italy and is surrounded by the alpine chain and by the Apennines. The region is covered by a wide extension of forests, mainly in its mountain areas (the forests cover 36% of the regional territory). In the period 1997–2007, Piedmont gained interest by an average of 378 wildfire events per year, covering an average of 1767 ha of forest per year. Meteorological conditions like long periods without precipitation contribute to create favourable conditions to forest fire development, while the fire propagation is made easier by the foehn winds, frequently interesting the region in winter and spring particularly. We applied the Fire Weather Index FWI (Van Wagner, 1987) to the Piedmont region on warning areas previously defined for fire management purposes (Cane et al., 2008). Here we present a new technique for the definition of thresholds in order to obtain alert levels more suited with the local conditions of the forest fire warning areas. We describe also the implementation of the prognostic FWI prediction system, involving the use of good forecasts of weather parameters at the station locations obtained by the Multimodel SuperEnsemble postprocessing technique.

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