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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 15(3)

Evaluation of forest fire retardant removal from forest fuels by rainfall

Gavriil Xanthopoulos A C , Dany Ghosn B and George Kazakis B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A National Agricultural Research Foundation, Institute for Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Products Technology, Terma Alkmanos, GR-11528, Athens, Greece.

B Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Alsyllio Agrokepiou, PO Box 85, GR-73100, Chania, Crete, Greece.

C Corresponding author. Email: gxnrtc@fria.gr

International Journal of Wildland Fire 15(3) 293-297 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF06006
Submitted: 13 January 2006  Accepted: 3 March 2006   Published: 5 September 2006

Abstract

Long-term forest fire retardants for fire prevention purposes are currently used, or are under consideration, in many parts of the world. Their use requires, among other things, knowledge about weathering of retardants with time, which may lead to the need for re-application. Rainfall is a factor that can lead to retardant depletion from the fuels. In this study, the rate of depletion was evaluated experimentally using Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) needles. The needles were made into small bundles and immersed in retardant, which was FIRE-TROL 936 concentrate, diluted to 20% (v/v) with water. The retardant-treated needles, after drying, were exposed to natural rain in three different rainfall events, and retardant depletion was measured. A regression equation was developed with percentage retardant removal as the dependent variable. The natural logarithm of rainfall quantity, expressed in mm of rain, and the duration of rain, expressed in min, were the two independent variables. A simple equation can be used to support pre-suppression planning and to assess environmental effects.


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