A surface fuel classification for estimating fire effects1
Duncan C. Lutes A C , Robert E. Keane A and John F. Caratti B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, 5775 US Highway 10 West, Missoula, MT 59808, USA.
B Systems for Environmental Management, PO Box 8868, Missoula, MT 59807, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: dlutes@fs.fed.us
International Journal of Wildland Fire 18(7) 802-814 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF08062
Submitted: 18 April 2008 Accepted: 23 April 2009 Published: 27 October 2009
Abstract
We present a classification of duff, litter, fine woody debris, and logs that can be used to stratify a project area into sites with fuel loading that yield significantly different emissions and maximum soil surface temperature. Total particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter and maximum soil surface temperature were simulated using the First Order Fire Effects Model. Simulation results were clustered into 10 Effects Groups using an agglomerative routine where each Effects Group defined a unique range of soil temperature and emissions. Classification tree analysis was used to estimate the critical duff, litter, fine woody debris, and log loadings associated with the soil temperature and emissions of each Effects Group. The resulting 21 fuel classes are called Fuel Loading Models and classified the study dataset with an ~34% misclassification rate. The classification can be used to describe fuel loadings for a plot or stand, or as map units for mapping fuel loadings across large regions. The classification process can be used to develop finer-scale fuel classifications for specific regions or ecosystems.
Additional keywords: fuel loading, fuel mapping, simulation modeling, smoke, soil temperature.
Acknowledgements
This work was partially funded by the USDA Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management and Rocky Mountain Research Station. Additional support was provided by Systems for Environmental Management. We thank Paul Zang and Jason Wagner of the Department of Army; Charley Martin of the Bureau of Land Management; Arnie Browning of the Bureau of Indian Affairs; Chris Woodall, Roger Ottmar, Susan Prichard, Jessica Miesel, Joe Vukelich, and Renee Lundberg of the US Forest Service; Karen Short and Jennifer Long of Systems for Environmental Management and the Student Conservation Association for providing data for this study. We thank Rudy King, Roger Ottmar, Elizabeth Reinhardt, Matt Reeves, Pam Sikkink, and the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments.
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1 The use of trade or firm names in this paper is for reader information and does not imply endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture of any product or service. This paper was partially written and prepared by US Government employees on official time, and therefore is in the public domain and not subject to copyright in the US.
