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.

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.

Fire weather index system components for large fires in the Canadian boreal forest

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 391 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. Amiro ◽  
K. A. Logan ◽  
B. M. Wotton ◽  
M. D. Flannigan ◽  
J. B. Todd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
System Parameters ◽  
System Components ◽  
Large Fires ◽  
Canadian Boreal Forest

Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI) System components and head fire intensities were calculated for fires greater than 2 km2 in size for the boreal and taiga ecozones of Canada from 1959 to 1999. The highest noon-hour values were analysed that occurred during the first 21 days of each of 9333 fires. Depending on ecozone, the means of the FWI System parameters ranged from: fine fuel moisture code (FFMC), 90 to 92 (82 to 96 for individual fires); duff moisture code (DMC), 38 to 78 (10 to 140 for individual fires); drought code (DC), 210 to 372 (50 to 600 for individual fires); and fire weather index, 20 to 33 (5 to 60 for individual fires). Fine fuel moisture code decreased, DMC had a mid-season peak, and DC increased through the fire season. Mean head fire intensities ranged from 10 to 28 MW m−1 in the boreal spruce fuel type, showing that most large fires exhibit crown fire behaviour. Intensities of individual fires can exceed 60 MW m−1. Most FWI System parameters did not show trends over the 41-year period because of large inter-annual variability. A changing climate is expected to create future weather conditions more conducive to fire throughout much of Canada but clear changes have not yet occurred.

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.

Wildfires and the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index system for the Daxing'anling region of China

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaorui Tian ◽  
Douglas J. McRae ◽  
Jizhong Jin ◽  
Lifu Shu ◽  
Fengjun Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Fire Danger ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Burnt Area ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index

The Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) system was evaluated for the Daxing'anling region of northern China for the 1987–2006 fire seasons. The FWI system reflected the regional fire danger and could be effectively used there in wildfire management. The various FWI system components were classified into classes (i.e. low to extreme) for fire conditions found in the region. A total of 81.1% of the fires occurred in the high, very high and extreme fire danger classes, in which 73.9% of the fires occurred in the spring (0.1, 9.5, 33.3 and 33.1% in March, April, May and June). Large wildfires greater than 200 ha in area (16.7% of the total) burnt 99.2% of the total burnt area. Lightning was the main ignition source for 57.1% of the total fires. Result show that forest fires mainly occurred in deciduous coniferous forest (61.3%), grass (23.9%) and deciduous broad leaved forest (8.0%). A bimodal fire season was detected, with peaks in May and October. The components of FWI system were good indicators of fire danger in the Daxing'anling region of China and could be used to build a working fire danger rating system for the region.

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.

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