Effects of particle fracturing and moisture content on fire behaviour in masticated fuelbeds burned in a laboratory
Jesse K. Kreye A B D , J. Morgan Varner A and Eric E. Knapp CA Wildland Fire Laboratory, Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources, Humboldt State University, 1 Harpst Street, Arcata, CA 95521, USA.
B Present address: School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Newins-Ziegler Hall, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611-0410, USA.
C USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding, CA 96002, USA.
D Corresponding author. Email: jkreye@ufl.edu
International Journal of Wildland Fire 20(2) 308-317 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF09126
Submitted: 3 November 2009 Accepted: 3 June 2010 Published: 30 March 2011
Abstract
Mechanical mastication is a fuels treatment that converts shrubs and small trees into dense fuelbeds composed of fractured woody particles. Although compaction is thought to reduce fireline intensity, the added particle surface area due to fracturing could also influence fire behaviour. We evaluated effects of particle fracturing and moisture content (ranging from 2.5 to 13%) on fire behaviour in fuelbeds composed of masticated Arctostaphylos manzanita Parry and Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. shrubs in the laboratory. Fuelbeds composed of fractured particles did not burn with greater intensity than fuelbeds composed of intact particles, as hypothesised. Flame heights ranged from 54 to 95 cm and fireline intensity from 50 to 140 kJ s–1 m–1, approximating values observed in field experiments. Masticated fuelbeds burned with shorter flame heights and longer flaming duration under higher fuel moistures, but duration of lethal heating (>60°C) above fuelbeds did not differ across the range of fuel moistures, averaging 12 min over a 0.1-m2 area. Our results suggest that expected fire behaviour increases due to particle fracturing may be overwhelmed by fuelbed bulk density. The long-duration heating of burning masticated fuels may require managers to mitigate effects to trees and soils when fuel loads are high.
Additional keywords: Arctostaphylos, Ceanothus, fire intensity, fuels management, mechanical fuels treatment.
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