Experimental validation in Mediterranean shrub fuels of seven wildland fire rate of spread models

Abstract

Indexes of forest fire risk are broadcast throughout the Summer months by the French Civil Defense Authority. They are used to guide the deployment of fire prevention resources. However, in some departments, the number of fires during the Winter and Spring months of March–April is equal to or greater than during the Summer months. Some days, conditions are favourable for the propagation of fire (soil moisture content, vegetation in dormancy, relative humidity, ...), but indexes for estimating the risk during this period are not calculated.

The objective of this paper is to evaluate various models of fire rate of spread, in order to choose one for Winter and Spring fires. The Fire Service of a department of the French Mediterranean area (the Lozère department) provides the opportunity and the means to conduct validation experiments on prescribed fires. Also, validation data from another department of the French Mediterranean area (Pyrénées Orientales) are presented for the same rate of spread models.