The effect of ignition protocol on the spread rate of grass fires: a comment on the conclusions of Sutherland et al. (2020)
Miguel G. Cruz
A C , Andrew L. Sullivan A , Rachel Bessell B and James S. Gould A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A CSIRO, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
B CFA, Bushfire Management, PO Box 701, Mount Waverley, Vic. 3149 Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: miguel.cruz@csiro.au
International Journal of Wildland Fire 29(12) 1133-1138 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20006
Submitted: 10 January 2020 Accepted: 25 February 2020 Published: 28 July 2020
Abstract
Sutherland et al. (2020) used simulations from a physics-based numerical fire behaviour model to investigate the effect of the ignition protocol (namely length, direction and rate of ignition) on the spread rates measured in experimental fires. They concluded that the methods used by Cruz et al. (2015) were inadequate as the fires were not spreading at the pseudo-steady state when rate of spread measurements were made, thereby raising questions about the validity of several published experimental and modelling results. Fire spread measurement data from three different outdoor experimental burning studies conducted in grass fuels are used to show that, contrary to the claims of Sutherland et al. (2020), the fire behaviour data collected in Cruz et al. (2015) were from fires spreading in the pseudo-steady-state regime and thus are compatible with data from larger experimental plots. A discussion is presented addressing why Sutherland et al. (2020) simulations were unable to replicate real-world data.
Additional keywords: empirical modelling, experimental methods, fire behaviour experiments, headfire, ignition pattern.
References
Alexander ME, Quintilio D (1990) Perspectives on experimental fires in Canadian forestry research. Mathematical and Computer Modelling 13, 17–26.| Perspectives on experimental fires in Canadian forestry research.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Anderson WR, Cruz MG, Fernandes PM, McCaw L, Vega JA, Bradstock RA, Fogarty L, Gould JS, McCarthy G, Marsden-Smedley JB, Matthews S, Mattingley G, Pearce HG, van Wilgen BW (2015) A generic, empirical-based model for predicting rate of fire spread in shrublands. International Journal of Wildland Fire 24, 443–460.
| A generic, empirical-based model for predicting rate of fire spread in shrublands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bradshaw S, Tour J (1993) Ground ignitions systems: an equipment guide for prescribed and wild fires. USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center, Technical Report 9351–2806-MTDC. (Missoula, MT, USA)
Butler BW, Ottmar RD, Rupp TS, Jandt R, Miller E, Howard K, Schmoll R, Theisen S, Vihnanek RE, Jimenez D (2013) Quantifying the effect of fuel reduction treatments on fire behavior in boreal forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 43, 97–102.
| Quantifying the effect of fuel reduction treatments on fire behavior in boreal forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Butler BW, Teske C, Jimenez D, O’Brien J, Sopko P, Wold C, Vosburgh M, Hornsby B, Loudermilk E (2016) Observations of energy transport and rate of spreads from low-intensity fires in longleaf pine habitat – RxCADRE 2012. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 76–89.
| Observations of energy transport and rate of spreads from low-intensity fires in longleaf pine habitat – RxCADRE 2012.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cheney NP, Gould JS (1995) Fire growth in grassland fuels. International Journal of Wildland Fire 5, 237–247.
| Fire growth in grassland fuels.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cheney NP, Sullivan AL (2008) ‘Grassfires: fuel, weather and fire behaviour. 2nd edn.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia).
Cheney NP, Gould JS, Catchpole WR (1993) The influence of fuel, weather and fire shape variables on fire-spread in grasslands. International Journal of Wildland Fire 3, 31–44.
| The influence of fuel, weather and fire shape variables on fire-spread in grasslands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cheney NP, Gould JS, Catchpole WR (1998) Prediction of fire spread in grasslands. International Journal of Wildland Fire 8, 1–13.
| Prediction of fire spread in grasslands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clements CB, Kochanski AK, Seto D, Davis B, Camacho C, Lareau NP, Contezac J, Restaino J, Heilman WE, Krueger SK, Butler B, Ottmar RD, Vihnanek R, Flynn J, Filippi J-B, Barboni T, Hall DE, Mandel J, Jenkins MA, O’Brien J, Hornsby B, Teske C (2019) The FireFlux II experiment: a model-guided field experiment to improve understanding of fire–atmosphere interactions and fire spread. International Journal of Wildland Fire 28, 308–326.
| The FireFlux II experiment: a model-guided field experiment to improve understanding of fire–atmosphere interactions and fire spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cruz MG, Alexander ME (2013) Uncertainty associated with model predictions of surface and crown fire rates of spread. Environmental Modelling & Software 47, 16–28.
| Uncertainty associated with model predictions of surface and crown fire rates of spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cruz MG, McCaw WL, Anderson WR, Gould JS (2013) Fire behaviour modelling in semi-arid mallee–heath shrublands of southern Australia. Environmental Modelling & Software 40, 21–34.
| Fire behaviour modelling in semi-arid mallee–heath shrublands of southern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cruz MG, Gould JS, Kidnie S, Bessell R, Nichols D, Slijepcevic A (2015) Effects of curing on grassfires: II. Effect of grass senescence on the rate of fire spread. International Journal of Wildland Fire 24, 838–848.
| Effects of curing on grassfires: II. Effect of grass senescence on the rate of fire spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cruz MG, Sullivan AL, Kidnie S, Hurley RJ, Nichols S (2016) The effect of grass curing and fuel structure on fire behaviour. CSIRO Client Report no. EP 166414. (Canberra, ACT, Australia)
Cruz MG, Sullivan AL, Gould JS, Hurley RJ, Plucinski MP (2018) Got to burn to learn: the effect of fuel load on grassland fire behaviour and its management implications. International Journal of Wildland Fire 27, 727–741.
| Got to burn to learn: the effect of fuel load on grassland fire behaviour and its management implications.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cruz MG, Hurley RJ, Bessell R, Sullivan AL (2020) Fire behaviour in wheat crops – effect of fuel structure on rate of fire spread. International Journal of Wildland Fire 29, 258–271.
| Fire behaviour in wheat crops – effect of fuel structure on rate of fire spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fernandes PM, Catchpole WR, Rego FC (2000) Shrubland fire behaviour modelling with microplot data. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 30, 889–899.
| Shrubland fire behaviour modelling with microplot data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gould JS, Sullivan AL (2020) Two methods for calculating wildland fire rate of forward spread. International Journal of Wildland Fire 29, 272–281.
| Two methods for calculating wildland fire rate of forward spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Linn R, Anderson K, Winterkamp J, Brooks A, Wotton M, Dupuy JL, Pimont F, Edminster C (2012) Incorporating field wind data into FIRETEC simulations of the International Crown Fire Modeling Experiment (ICFME): preliminary lessons learned. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 42, 879–898.
| Incorporating field wind data into FIRETEC simulations of the International Crown Fire Modeling Experiment (ICFME): preliminary lessons learned.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McArthur AG (1966) Weather and grassland fire behaviour. Commonwealth of Australia, Forestry and Timber Bureau Leaflet 100. (Canberra, ACT, Australia)
Mell WE, Linn RR (2017) FIRETEC and WFDS modelling of fire behaviour and smoke in support of FASMEE. Joint Fire Science Program Final Report JFSP Project 16–4-05–1. (Boise, ID, USA)
Mell WE, Jenkins MA, Gould J, Cheney P (2007) A physics-based approach to modelling grassland fires. International Journal of Wildland Fire 16, 1–22.
| A physics-based approach to modelling grassland fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moinuddin KAM, Sutherland D, Mell WE (2018) Simulation study of grass fire using a physics-based model: striving towards numerical rigour and the effect of grass height on the rate of spread. International Journal of Wildland Fire 27, 800–814.
| Simulation study of grass fire using a physics-based model: striving towards numerical rigour and the effect of grass height on the rate of spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ottmar RD, Hiers JK, Butler BW, Clements CB, Dickinson MB, Hudak AT, O’Brie JJ, Potter BE, Rowell EM, Strand TM, Zajkowski TJ (2016) Measurements, datasets and preliminary results from the RxCADRE project – 2008, 2011 and 2012. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 1–9.
| Measurements, datasets and preliminary results from the RxCADRE project – 2008, 2011 and 2012.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pimont F, Dupuy JL, Linn RR, Parsons R, Martin-StPaul N (2017) Representativeness of wind measurements in fire experiments: lessons learned from large-eddy simulations in a homogeneous forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 232, 479–488.
| Representativeness of wind measurements in fire experiments: lessons learned from large-eddy simulations in a homogeneous forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rothermel RC (1972) A mathematical model for predicting fire spread in wildland fuels. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Research Paper INT-115. (Ogden, UT, USA)
Rothermel RC (1983) How to predict the spread and intensity of forest and range fires. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, General Technical Report INT-143. (Ogden, UT, USA)
Stocks BJ, Alexander ME, Wotton BM, Stefner CN, Flannigan MD, Taylor SW, Lavoie N, Mason JA, Hartley GR, Maffey ME, Dalrymple GN, Blake TW, Cruz MG, Lanoville RA (2004) Crown fire behaviour in a northern jack pine–black spruce forest. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 34, 1548–1560.
| Crown fire behaviour in a northern jack pine–black spruce forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sullivan AL (2019) Physical modelling of wildland fires. In ‘Encyclopedia of wildfires and wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires’. (Ed. SL Manzello) pp. 1–8. (Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland). https://doi.org/
Sullivan AL, Knight IK (2001) Estimating error in wind speed measurements for experimental fires. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 31, 401–409.
| Estimating error in wind speed measurements for experimental fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sutherland D, Sharples JJ, Moinuddin KAM (2020) The effect of ignition protocol on grassfire development. International Journal of Wildland Fire 29, 70–80.
| The effect of ignition protocol on grassfire development.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX (2004) On the existence of a steady-state regime for slope- and wind-driven fires. International Journal of Wildland Fire 13, 101–117.
| On the existence of a steady-state regime for slope- and wind-driven fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX, Cruz MG, Ribeiro LM, Silva AJ, Ollero A, Arrue B, Dios R, Gomez-Rodriguez F, Merino L, Miranda AI, Santos P (2002) Gestosa fire spread experiments. In ‘Forest fire research and wildland fire safety: proceedings of IV international conference on forest fire research’, Luso, Portugal, 18–23 November 2002. (Ed DX Viegas) pp. 1–13. (Millpress Science, for Associação para o Desenvolvimento da Aerodinamica Industrial: Rotterdam.)
Wotton BM, McAlpine RS, Hobbs MW (1999) The effect of fire front width on surface fire behaviour. International Journal of Wildland Fire 9, 247–253.
| The effect of fire front width on surface fire behaviour.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
