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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 15(1)

Predicting the ignition of crown fuels above a spreading surface fire. Part I: model idealization

Miguel G. Cruz A E , Bret W. Butler B , Martin E. Alexander C , Jason M. Forthofer B and Ronald H. Wakimoto D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Associação para o Desenvolvimento da Aerodinâmica Industrial, Apartado 10131, 3031-601 Coimbra, Portugal. Present address: Ensis – Forest Biosecurity and Protection, CSIRO, PO Box E4008, Kingston, ACT 2604, Australia.

B USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT 59834, USA.

C Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada, Wildland Fire Operations Research Group, 1176 Switzer Drive, Hinton, AB T7V 1V3, Canada. Present address: Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, 5320 122nd Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 3S5, Canada.

D College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.

E Corresponding author. Email: miguel.cruz@ensisjv.com

International Journal of Wildland Fire 15(1) 47-60 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF04061
Submitted: 26 October 2004  Accepted: 25 August 2005   Published: 6 March 2006

Abstract

A model was developed to predict the ignition of forest crown fuels above a surface fire based on heat transfer theory. The crown fuel ignition model (hereafter referred to as CFIM) is based on first principles, integrating: (i) the characteristics of the energy source as defined by surface fire flame front properties; (ii) buoyant plume dynamics; (iii) heat sink as described by the crown fuel particle characteristics; and (iv) energy transfer (gain and losses) to the crown fuels. Fuel particle temperature increase is determined through an energy balance relating heat absorption to fuel particle temperature. The final model output is the temperature of the crown fuel particles, which upon reaching ignition temperature are assumed to ignite. CFIM predicts the ignition of crown fuels but does not determine the onset of crown fire spread per se. The coupling of the CFIM with models determining the rate of propagation of crown fires allows for the prediction of the potential for sustained crowning. CFIM has the potential to be implemented in fire management decision support systems.

Additional keywords: crown fire initiation; fire behavior; heat transfer; modeling.


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1 In the present study, the term ‘crown’ is applied to describe aerial fuels at the tree level and ‘canopy’ at the stand level.

2 The red pine plantation had a height of 13 m and a CBH between 6.1 and 9.2 m. Basal area for the experimental area varied between 40 and 58 m2 ha−1. The prevailing environmental conditions were as follows: U10 = 3.6 m s−1; US = 1.7 m s−1; Ta = 10°C; RH = 25–35%; MC = 0.09; FMC = 0.92. Surface fuel consumption was 1.3 kg m−2. No information existed as to which fraction of the total surface fuel consumed in the surface phase was consumed within flaming combustion. Based on the information of the surface fuelbed structure, wa was estimated as 0.9 kg m−2.




Appendix 1.  List of symbols, quantities and units used in equations and text
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Appendix 2.  List of subscripts used in equations and text
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