Modelling logic and the Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction System

This article outlines the flexible semi-empirical philosophy used throughout six decades of fire research by the Canadian Forest Service, culminating in the development of the Forest Fire Behavior Prediction System. It then describes the principles involved when spread rate and fuel consumption are estimated separately to yield fire intensity, and the anomaly that has resulted from the omission of a foliar-moisture effect on crown-fire spread. Judged on its results so far, this Canadian approach has held its own against any other, and holds full promise for the future as well. Key words: forest fire behavior, Canadian FBP System, fire modelling, crown-fire theory, fire research philosophy

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Surface fire spread potential in trembling aspen during summer in the Boreal Forest Region of Canada

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc86200-2 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 86 (2) ◽

pp. 200-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Martin E Alexander

Keyword(s):

Forest Fire ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Fire Spread ◽

Fire Danger ◽

Fire Season ◽

Behavior Prediction ◽

Trembling Aspen ◽

Fuel Type ◽

Fire Weather Index ◽

Forest Fire Danger

In Canada, the importance of seasonality in forest fire danger rating associated with phenological changes in deciduous tree leaves and lesser ground vegetation has historically been taken into account by dividing the fire season into three distinct periods (i.e., spring, summer, and fall). During the mid-1980s, the developers of the Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System did not envision that the M-2 Boreal Mixedwood Green fuel type with 100% hardwood composition would eventually be explicitly interpreted by field users and other researchers to represent a trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) fuel type in the summer following green-up or flushing of the overstory canopy and understory vegetation. Interest in what has become to be known as the D-2 FBP System fuel type to represent leafed-out trembling aspen stands during the summer fire season has steadily increased since. Formal recognition of such a fuel type may very well constitute an example of overextending the original basis and heuristics associated with the rate of fire spread model for the M-2 FBP System fuel type. Thus, the assumptions underlying a D-2 fuel type are explicitly restated here for the benefit of fire managers and researchers alike. Furthermore, an interim guideline is presented with respect to the threshold condition in fuel dryness necessary for surface fire spread in the D-2 fuel type to occur based on existing empirical observations garnered from experimental fires, prescribed burns and wildfires. This criterion was deduced from existing information and knowledge, and is expressed in terms of the Buildup Index (BUI) component of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System. The rationale for the descriptive name assigned to the D-2 fuel type and the corresponding fuel strata characteristics are given. Improvements in the present basis of the D-2 fuel type could be realized from monitoring selected wildfires and operational prescribed fires and/or by carrying out an experimental burning study. Key words: Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction System,Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System,Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System,deciduous,fire behavior, fire danger, fire environment, fire hazard, fire potential, fire risk, forest flammability, fuel type, fuel moisture, green-up, hardwood, rate of fire spread.

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Gis-based computer code for the evaluation of forest fire spread

Thermal Science ◽

10.2298/tsci0702259k ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 259-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alexander Karpov ◽

Henry Telitsyn ◽

Nadezhda Efimova ◽

Victor Berdonosov ◽

Sergey Popovich

Keyword(s):

Forest Fire ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Computer Code ◽

Fire Spread ◽

Behavior Prediction ◽

Inventory Data ◽

Simulation Code ◽

Data Approximation ◽

Model Classification

The approach to the implementation of a computer code, based on the geographic information system, for the forest fire behavior prediction is presented. Consecutive steps are considered, which include the formulation of fire spread mathematical model, classification of vegetation fuels using the forest inventory data, approximation of fire perimeter propagation, and overall arrangement of fire simulation code. .

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COMPORTAMENTO DO FOGO EM QUEIMAS CONTROLADAS DE VEGETAÇÃO DE ESTEPE NO MUNICÍPIO DE PALMEIRA, PARANÁ, BRASIL

FLORESTA ◽

10.5380/rf.v43i4.31385 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 557

Author(s):

Celso Darci Seger ◽

Antonio Carlos Batista ◽

Alexandre França Tetto ◽

Ronaldo Viana Soares

Keyword(s):

Fire Behavior ◽

Fire Risk ◽

Fire Spread ◽

Flame Height ◽

Fire Intensity ◽

Average Moisture Content ◽

Fuel Loading ◽

Prescribed Burns ◽

Controlled Burning ◽

Heat Released

As queimas controladas constituem práticas de manejo utilizadas em diferentes tipos de vegetação e difundidas em vários países. No entanto, para a realização de tais práticas com segurança e eficiência é fundamental o conhecimento do comportamento do fogo. O objetivo desse trabalho foi caracterizar o comportamento do fogo em queimas controladas de vegetação Estepe Gramíneo-Lenhosa no estado do Paraná. Para isso, foi instalado um experimento no município de Palmeira, onde 20 parcelas foram queimadas, sendo metade a favor e metade contra o vento. A carga de material combustível fino estimada foi de 2,26 kg.m-2, com teor médio de umidade de 50,45%. A quantidade de material consumido pela queima foi de 1,76 kg.m-2, com uma eficiência média de queima de 76,86%. As médias obtidas, a favor e contra o vento, foram respectivamente: velocidade de propagação do fogo de 0,049 e 0,012 m.s-1, altura das chamas de 1,34 e 0,843 m, intensidade do fogo de 210,53 e 50,68 kcal.m-1.s-1 e calor liberado de 4.067,19 e 4.508,92 kcal.m-2. Os resultados permitiram concluir que as queimas controladas em vegetação de campos naturais, realizadas dentro dos critérios estabelecidos de planos de queima, são viáveis e seguras sob o ponto de vista de perigo de incêndios.Palavras chave: Queima prescrita; material combustível; intensidade do fogo; perigo de incêndios. AbstractFire behavior of prescribed burns in grassland on Palmeira county, Paraná, Brazil. The prescribed burns are practices of management used in different types of vegetation and widespread in several countries. However, to carry out such practices safely and effectively is fundamental knowledge of fire behavior. The aim of this study was to characterize the fire behavior in controlled burning of grassland vegetation in Paraná state. For this, an experiment was conducted in Palmeira County, where 20 plots were burned, half in favor and half against the wind. The estimated fine fuel loading was 2.26 kg.m-2, with average moisture content of 50.45%. The fuel consumption by burning was 1.76 kg.m-2 with an average efficiency of burning of 76.86%. The averages, for and against the wind, were: speed of fire spread of 0.049 and 0.012 m.s-1, the flame height of 1.34 m and 0.843, fire intensity of 210.53 and 50.68 kcal.m-1.s-1 and heat released from 4,067.19 and 4,508.92 kcal.m-2. The results show that the controlled burnings of grasslands vegetation, carried out within the established criteria burning plans are feasible and safe from the aspect of fire danger.Keywords: Prescribed burns; fuel loading; fire intensity; fire risk.

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Improvement of fire danger rating and vegetation fire behaviour prediction on protected areas

BIO Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/bioconf/20191600040 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 00040

Author(s):

Aleksandra Volokitina ◽

Dina Nazimova ◽

Tatiana Sofronova ◽

Mikhail Korets

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Fire Spread ◽

Fire Effects ◽

Nature Reserves ◽

Fire Danger ◽

Behavior Prediction ◽

Forest Fire Danger ◽

Economic Use

Protected areas (PAs) are established to conserve biological diversity, to maintain nature complexes and objects in their natural condition. Strict nature reserves prevail in Russia by their total area. The whole nature complex is forever extracted from economic use in nature reserves. Here it is prohibited to pursue any activity which might disturb or damage the nature complexes. Even under the existing strict protection from anthropogenic ignition sources, vegetation fires do occur on their territory. Besides, lightnings − these natural ignition sources − are impossible to exclude. Since large destructive fires are impermissible in nature reserves, the later especially need vegetation fire behavior prediction for fire management. Fire behavior prediction includes fire spread rate, development (from surface fire into crown or ground one) and fire effects. All this is necessary for taking optimal decisions on how to control each occurring fire and how to suppress it. The Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS has developed a method to improve forest fire danger rating and a technique of vegetation fire behavior prediction using vegetation fuel maps (VF maps).

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Mathematical modeling of the impact of forest fires on buildings and structures

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/201820900021 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 209 ◽

pp. 00021

Author(s):

Valeriy Perminov ◽

Victoria Marzaeva

Keyword(s):

Mathematical Modeling ◽

Forest Fire ◽

Forest Fires ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Fire Intensity ◽

Physical Mechanisms ◽

Important Concern ◽

Fire Initiation ◽

The Impact ◽

Fundamental Physical

The protection of buildings and structures in a community from destruction by forest fires is a very important concern. This paper addresses the development of a mathematical model for fires in the wildland-urban intermix. The forest fire is a very complicated phenomenon. At present, fire services can forecast the danger rating of, or the specific weather elements relating to, forest fire. There is need to understand and predict forest fire initiation, behavior and impact of fire on the buildings and constructions. This paper’s purposes are the improvement of knowledge on the fundamental physical mechanisms that control forest fire behavior. The mathematical modeling of forest fires actions on buildings and structures has been carried out to study the effects of fire intensity and wind speed on possibility of ignition of buildings.

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Calculating and interpreting forest fire intensities

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b82-048 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 349-357 ◽

Cited By ~ 203

Author(s):

Martin E. Alexander

Keyword(s):

Forest Fire ◽

International System ◽

Unit Length ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Energy Output ◽

Fire Intensity ◽

Linear Rate ◽

Fire Front ◽

Quantitative Basis ◽

The Impact

Frontal fire intensity is a valid measure of forest fire behavior that is solely a physical attribute of the fire itself. It is defined as the energy output rate per unit length of fire front and is directly related to flame size. Numerically, it is equal to the product of net heat of combustion, quantity of fuel consumed in the active combustion zone, and a spreading fire's linear rate of advance. The recommended International System (SI) units are kilowatts per metre. This concept of fire intensity provides a quantitative basis for fire description useful in evaluating the impact of fire on forest ecosystems.

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Fire Potential in the Spruce Budworm-damaged Forests of Ontario

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc63008-1 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

pp. 8-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

B. J. Stocks

Keyword(s):

Forest Fire ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Spruce Budworm ◽

Fire Spread ◽

Early Years ◽

Balsam Fir ◽

Fuel Type ◽

Complex Rearrangement ◽

Fuel Accumulation ◽

Spot Fires

An experimental burning program was carried out in Ontario between 1978 and 1982 to document quantitatively fire behavior in balsam fir killed by spruce budworm. Forest fire potential in budworm-killed balsam fir stands was shown to be significantly higher for a number of years following stand mortality. Crown breakage and windthrow, with resultant fuel complex rearrangement and increased surface fuel loads, peaked 5-8 years after mortality. Fire potential was greatest during this period, decreased gradually as balsam fir surface fuels began to decompose and understory vegetation proliferated. Fires occurring prior to "green-up" in the spring behaved explosively with continuous crowning, high spread rates, and severe problems with downwind spot fires. Summer fires in this fuel type did not spread at all in the early years following mortality; however, sufficient woody surface fuel accumulation 4-5 years after mortality permitted summer fire spread

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A Note on Fuelbeds and Fire Behavior in Alang-Alang (Imperata Cylindrica)

International Journal of Wildland Fire ◽

10.1071/wf9920041 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 41 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

S Pickford ◽

M Suharti ◽

A Wibowo

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Acacia Mangium ◽

Imperata Cylindrica ◽

High Relative Humidity ◽

Prediction System ◽

Behavior Prediction ◽

Spread Rate ◽

Physical Evidence ◽

Made In

Fire behavior on a 2 ha fire, inferred from physical evidence observed one week after the fire, was compared with fire behavior estimates obtained using the BEHAVE fire behavior prediction system and fuel measurements in Imperata cylindrica (Alang-alang) made in the same area. This fire probably burned under light winds (3-5 km), high relative humidity, and spread slowly with moderate flame lengths (approximately 100 m hr-1 spread rate, 0.5 - 0.7 m flame lengths). Although appar- ently killed by lethal crown and bole scorch, the young Acacia mangium overstory through which the fire burned resprouted vigorously and apparently survived.

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