4. Containing and suppressing fire

2020 ◽  
pp. 69-100
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Fire Prevention ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Crown Fires ◽  
Urban Fires

‘Containing and suppressing fire’ compares urban and pastoral understandings of fire. Prevention and suppression measures for one country may not be relevant in another, and even in the case of wildfires, one region may contain many different biomes, so formulating fire suppression policies can be complex. Some low-intensity surface fires may help prevent more dangerous crown fires; an urban understanding of all landscape fires as negative is not always helpful. With the increased popularity of living among flammable vegetation, the speed of wildfires can take some people by surprise. In urban fires, smoke has long been recognized as dangerous, but smoke from wildfires and peat burning can also cause health problems.

scholarly journals Wildfire during deposition of the “Illinger Flözzone” (Heusweiler-Formation, “Stephanian B”, Kasimovian–Ghzelian) in the Saar-Nahe Basin (SW-Germany)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter Uhl ◽  
André Jasper
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Oxygen ◽  
Anatomical Features ◽  
Seasonally Dry ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Crown Fires ◽  
Oxygen Conditions ◽  
Wet Tropics

Abstract Wildfires occurred more or less regularly in many Pennsylvanian ecosystems, not only in seasonally dry regions but also in the ever wet tropics. One of the reasons for this was probably the relatively high atmospheric oxygen conditions prevailing during this period. The present study reports evidence for the occurrence of wildfires during deposition of the Upper Pennsylvanian Heusweiler Formation (“Stephanian B”, Kasimovian–Gzhelian) in the intramontane Saar-Nahe (or Saar-Lorraine) Basin in SW-Germany. Based on anatomical features of the charcoal, as well as the co-occurring adpression flora, it seems possible that some of the fires occurred in an ecosystem inhabited by Cordaites. Some of the charcoal fragments exhibit traces of pre-charring decay by fungi, indicating either the consumption of litter by ground or surface fires, or of still standing (partly) dead trees by crown fires.

Individual Therapy Attrition Rates in a Low-Intensity Service: A Comparison of Cognitive Behavioural and Person-Centred Therapies and the Impact of Deprivation

2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karra Grant ◽  
Elizabeth McMeekin ◽  
Ruth Jamieson ◽  
Alexandra Fairfull ◽  
Chris Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Individual Therapy ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Deprived Areas

Background: This paper looks at attrition in relation to deprivation and type of therapy – CBT or person-centred counselling. Method: Case notes of all those referred in a 4-month period (n = 497) were assessed for those who failed to opt-in; those who opted-in but failed to attend first appointment and those who attended first appointment but subsequently dropped-out. Results: Significant numbers failed to opt-in, attend first appointment or dropped out during therapy. There were no differences between CBT and PCT. Those from the most deprived areas were less likely to opt-in. Conclusions: We need to develop better approaches to attracting and maintaining contact with individuals complaining of common mental health problems.

scholarly journals Holocene Fire Regime Changes in the Southern Lake Baikal Region Influenced by Climate-Vegetation-Anthropogenic Activity Interactions

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 978
Author(s):  
Chéïma Barhoumi ◽  
Marianne Vogel ◽  
Lucas Dugerdil ◽  
Hanane Limani ◽  
Sébastien Joannin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lake Baikal ◽  
Tree Structure ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Pinus Sibirica ◽  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
The Past ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Crown Fires

Catastrophic fire years that have taken place during the last decade in Siberia, and more generally within the boreal forest, have been directly linked to global warming and had strong repercussions on boreal ecosystems and human populations. In this context the study of the past dynamics of these fires is essential for understanding their links with climate, vegetation and human activity changes on longer time scales than the last few decades. However, few studies on fire dynamics are available for Siberia, and none have been conducted for the entire Holocene period. This study presents the first fire history reconstruction of this area during the Holocene based on charcoals sequestered in sediments of two lakes located on the southern shore of Lake Baikal, in Siberia. The results show a similar trend in the two lakes, with high frequency and high peak magnitude during the Early Holocene and low magnitudes after 6500 cal. yr BP. This difference is interpreted as crown fires versus surface fires. According to pollen records (Dulikha, Vydrino, Ochkovoe) available near the studied lakes, a vegetation transition occurred at the same time. Picea obovata, which has a tree structure prone to crown fires, was dominant during the Early humid Holocene. After 6500 cal. yr BP, conditions were drier and Pinus sylvestris and Pinus sibirica became the dominant species; their tree structure favors surface fires. In addition to vegetation dynamics, the nearby pollen sequence from Dulikha has been used to provide quantitative estimates of past climate, indicating an Early to Middle Holocene climatic optimum between 8000 and 5000 cal. yr BP and an increase in temperatures at the end of the Holocene. These results have been compared to outputs from regional climate models for the Lake Baikal latitudes. Fire dynamics appear to have been more linked to the vegetation than climatic conditions. Over the past 1500 years, the greater presence of human populations has firstly resulted in an increase in the fire frequency, then in its maintenance and finally in its suppression, which may possibly have been due to very recent fire management, i.e., after ca 500 cal. BP.

Corrigendum to: Estimating the amount of water required to extinguish wildfires under different conditions and in various fuel types

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 778
Author(s):  
Rickard Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Heat Release Rate ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
Combustion Zone ◽  
Unit Length ◽  
Water Flow Rate ◽  
Flame Length ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Fire Front

In wildland fires where water is used as the primary extinguishing agent, one of the issues of wildfire suppression is estimating how much water is required to extinguish a certain section of the fire. In order to use easily distinguished and available indicators, the flame length and the area of the active combustion zone were chosen as suitable for the modelling of extinguishing requirements. Using Byram's and Thomas' equations, the heat release rate per unit length of fire front was calculated for low-intensity surface fires, fires with higher wind conditions, fires in steep terrain and high-intensity crown fires. Based on the heat release rate per unit length of fire front, the critical water flow rate was calculated for the various cases. Further, the required amount of water for a specific active combustion zone area was calculated for various fuel models. Finally, the results for low-intensity surface fires were validated against fire experiments. The calculated volumes of water can be used both during the preparatory planning for incidents as well as during firefighting operations.

A fire history from tree rings in a high-elevation forest of Rocky Mountain National Park

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1259-1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Buechling ◽  
William L Baker
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
National Park ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Rocky Mountain National Park ◽  
Subalpine Forest ◽  
Summer Drought ◽  
High Severity ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Crown Fires

Historical fire patterns in a subalpine forest of Rocky Mountain National Park were quantified from an analysis of forest stand ages and fire-scarred trees. A comparatively detailed sample of 3461 tree cores and 212 fire scars was collected from a 9200-ha study area north of Estes Park, Colorado. A total of 41 fire events were identified in the record. Annually precise fire dates, beginning in 1533, include 22 high-severity crown fires, 7 low-severity surface fires, and 8 mixed-severity events with both surface and crown fire components. Fire rotation was estimated for both surface fires (7587 years) and crown fires (346 years). Fire rotation did not appear to vary with fuel characteristics associated with topographical differences in the study area. Fires larger than 300 ha were few, but they determined a large proportion of the area burned since 1700 and were significantly correlated with a reconstructed index of summer drought. Low fire activity in the 20th century was associated with decreased severity and frequency of drought episodes. Long fire rotations preclude definitive conclusions regarding the effects of fire suppression in the 20th century, but relationships between high-severity fires, fuels, and drought suggest that climatic variability remains the primary influence on fire cycles in high-elevation ecosystems of the southern Rocky Mountains.

Can scar-based fire history reconstructions be biased? An experimental study in boreal Scots pine

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 669-675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aura Piha ◽  
Timo Kuuluvainen ◽  
Henrik Lindberg ◽  
Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa
Keyword(s):  
Scots Pine ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Fire Scars ◽  
Fire Scar ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Frequency Area

Determining forest fire history is commonly based on fire scar dating with dendrochronological methods. We used an experimental setup to investigate the impacts of low-intensity prescribed fire on fire scar formation 8 years after fire in 12 young managed Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands. Five stands were between 30 and 35 years old and seven were 45 years old at the time of burning. A total of 217 fire scars were recorded in 142 trees. The number of separate scars per tree originating from a single fire ranged from 1 to 6, with 67% of the trees having just one scar. The proportion of fire-scarred trees out of all trees per plot ranged from 0% to 30%, averaging 16.5% in young stands and 2.8% in older stands. Four of the 12 burned plots did not have any trees with fire scars, and these were all in the older age group. This means that in the older stands, in only three of seven plots (43%) did the fire leave scars from which fire can potentially be detected and dated afterwards. Our results suggest that fire scar dating in Scots pine dominated forests may underestimate fire frequency, area, and the importance of historically common low-intensity surface fires in dendrochronological reconstructions of past fire histories.

Predicting Forest Fire Numbers Using Deterministic-Probabilistic Approach

2020 ◽  
pp. 89-100
Author(s):  
Nikolay Viktorovich Baranovskiy
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Probabilistic Method ◽  
Probabilistic Approach ◽  
Retrospective Data ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Crown Fires ◽  
Vegetation Fires ◽  
Forest Fire Danger

The annual task of forecasting forest fire danger is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in the context of global warming. The forecast of surface fires is most important, as more than 80% of all vegetation fires are surface fires. Practically all crown fires develop from surface fires. This chapter discusses the deterministic-probabilistic method for predicting the number of forest fires in a controlled forest area. This methodology is based on the assumption that the number of registered and projected forest fires is related to the probability of their occurrence. The influence of forest fire retrospective data on the predicted number of forest fires for some sites of the Timiryazevskiy forestry of the Tomsk region was studied. This chapter presents the results of a comparative analysis of forecast data and statistics.

Structural variability of mature lodgepole pine stands on gently sloping terrain in Taylor Park Basin, Colorado

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 2020-2029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert J. Parker ◽  
Kathleen C. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Dwarf Mistletoe ◽  
The Past ◽  
Surface Fires ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Crown Fires ◽  
Standing Dead ◽  
Standing Dead Trees ◽  
Sloping Terrain

Diameter structures, diameter–age relationships, and spatial pattern of canopy and understory layers in seven stands representative of mature lodgepole pine (Pinusconforta Dougl. ex Loud. ssp. latifolia) forests on gentle (≤5°) slopes in the Taylor Park Basin of Colorado were documented. All stands originated following crown fires 120–140 years ago, during the period of initial Euro-American presence. Two distinct structures were evident among these stands. Four stands had closed canopies (cover >70%), relatively high basal areas and tree densities, low sapling and large seedling densities, numerous standing dead trees, and even-aged diameter distributions. The other three stands had more open canopies (cover <65%), lower basal areas and tree densities, higher densities of saplings and large seedlings, and more even representation across diameter classes. Regeneration tended to occur in small patches in both types of stands. DBH showed a moderate to strong relationship to age in all stands, although suppression of bole-diameter growth was more evident in the closed stands. Structure of the closed stands exemplifies forests that have developed rapidly after canopy fire. Structure of the open stands suggests either low stocking densities following stand-originating crown fires or repetitive surface fires, perhaps reinforced by dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobiumamericanum Nutt. ex Engelm.) infestation, that have allowed more or less continuous recruitment over the past 120–140 years.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document