Experimental and numerical fire behaviour analysis in Eucalyptus globulus trees

MohammadReza Modarres; Miguel Almeida; Domingos X. Viegas

doi:10.1071/WF23131

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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Experimental and numerical fire behaviour analysis in Eucalyptus globulus trees

MohammadReza Modarres

^A ^* , Miguel Almeida ^A and Domingos X. Viegas ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A ADAI – Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics, University of Coimbra, ADAI, Rua Pedro Hispano, 12, Coimbra 3030-289, Portugal.

^* Correspondence to: mohammad@adai.pt

International Journal of Wildland Fire 33, WF23131 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF23131

Submitted: 18 August 2023 Accepted: 25 September 2024 Published: 24 October 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of IAWF. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Eucalyptus globulus is highly susceptible to fire, and contributes to increased fire intensity. In 2021, it spanned 25 million hectares, marking it as the forest genus with the broadest area of cultivation.

Aims

This study investigates the flammability characteristics of Eucalyptus globulus relative to the fuel age, focusing on fire thermal and physical characteristics.

Methods

Experimental and numerical analyses were performed using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) within the large-eddy simulation (LES)-based Lagrangian particle cloud model.

Results

Six-month-old Eucalyptus globulus trees present a significant fire hazard. Older trees (3 and 5 years) exhibit more intense burns owing to reduced moisture content and larger fuel elements.

Conclusions

The flammability of Eucalyptus globulus varies with the growth stage, as older plants generate higher heat flux and burn more intensely owing to larger fuel elements, concentrated volatile compounds and reduced moisture content. In contrast, younger plants are more prone to ignition but exhibit lower heat flux and higher flame lengths relative to crown height. Simulations using FDS 6.8.0 effectively can predict plants’ key flammability and fire characteristics based on detailed laboratory data, demonstrating this tool’s capability in fire dynamics modelling and its behaviour prediction.

Implications

These findings can enhance fire modelling result quality and risk assessment in eucalyptus forests, guiding targeted fire management strategies.

Keywords: Eucalyptus globulus, combustion, flammability, fire behaviour: modelling, Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), fire intensity, fuel: age, wildland–urban interface.

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