On the non-monotonic behaviour of fire spread
Domingos Xavier Filomeno Carlos Viegas A B C , Jorge Rafael Nogueira Raposo
B , Carlos Fernando Morgado Ribeiro B , Luís Carlos Duarte Reis B , Abdelrahman Abouali B and Carlos Xavier Pais Viegas B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-788, Portugal.
B Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (ADAI)/Associated Laboratory on Energy, Transportation and Aeronautics (LAETA), University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-289, Portugal.
C Corresponding author. Email: xavier.viegas@dem.uc.pt
International Journal of Wildland Fire 30(9) 702-719 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF21016
Submitted: 4 February 2021 Accepted: 6 July 2021 Published: 16 August 2021
Journal Compilation © IAWF 2021 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
A conceptual model based on the dynamic interaction between fire, the fuel bed and the surrounding flow to explain the non-monotonic or intermittent behaviour of fires is proposed. According to the model, even in nominally permanent and uniform boundary conditions, the fire-induced flow modifies the geometry of the flame and its rate of spread. After an initial acceleration, there is a reduction in the rate of spread followed by one or more cycles of growth. Carefully controlled experiments of fires in slopes and canyons show that the evolution of fire properties, namely flame angle and rate of spread, have high-frequency oscillations superimposed on the low-frequency fire growth cycle described above.
Keywords: dynamic fire behaviour, fire acceleration, fire environment coupling, fire growth, fire modelling, forest fire behaviour, oscillatory fire behaviour.
References
Albini FA (1981) A model for the wind-blown flame from a line fire. Combustion and Flame 43, 155–174.| A model for the wind-blown flame from a line fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Albini FA (1982) Response of free-burning fires to non-steady wind. Combustion Science and Technology 29, 225–241.
| Response of free-burning fires to non-steady wind.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Alexander ME, Cruz MG (2012) Interdependencies between flame length and fireline intensity in predicting crown fire initiation and crown scorch height. International Journal of Wildland Fire 21, 95–113.
| Interdependencies between flame length and fireline intensity in predicting crown fire initiation and crown scorch height.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Anderson HE (1968) Fire spread and flame shape. Fire Technology 4, 51–58.
| Fire spread and flame shape.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowman DMJS, Williamson GJ, Abatzoglou JT, Kolden CA, Cochrane MA, Smith AMS (2017) Human exposure and sensitivity to globally extreme wildfire events. Nature Ecology & Evolution 1, 0058
| Human exposure and sensitivity to globally extreme wildfire events.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Butler BW, Anderson WR, Catchpole EA (2007) Influence of slope on fire spread rate. In ‘The fire environment – innovations, management, and policy; conference proceedings’, 26–30 March 2007, Destin, FL. (Eds Butler, Bret W., Cook, Wayne) USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Proceedings RMRS-P-46CD, pp. 75–82. (Fort Collins, CO)
Byram GM (1959) Combustion of forest fuels. In ‘Forest Fire: Control and Use’. (Ed. KP Davis) pp. 61–89, 554–555. (McGraw-Hill: New York, NY)
Byram GM, Nelson RM (1951) The possible relation of air turbulence to erratic fire behavior in the Southeast. Fire Control Notes 63, 46–51.
Canfield JM, Linn RR, Sauer JA, Finney M, Forthofer J (2014) A numerical investigation of the interplay between fireline length, geometry, and rate of spread. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 189–190, 48–59.
| A numerical investigation of the interplay between fireline length, geometry, and rate of spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cruz MG, Alexander ME (2020) Flame Dimensions. In ‘Encyclopedia of Wildfires and Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fires’. (Ed. SL Manzello) pp. 468–472. (Springer: Cham)
Dold JW, Zinoviev A (2009) Fire eruption through intensity and spread rate interaction mediated by flow attachment. Combustion Theory and Modelling 13, 763–793.
| Fire eruption through intensity and spread rate interaction mediated by flow attachment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dold JW, Zinoviev A, Weber RO (2006) Non-local flow effects in bushfire spread rates. In ‘Proceedings of the V International Conference on Forest Fire Research’, 27–30 November 2006, Figueira da Foz, Portugal. (Ed. DX Viegas) pp. 1–8.
Dupuy JL (1995) Slope and fuel load effects on fire behavior: laboratory experiments in pine needles fuel beds. International Journal of Wildland Fire 5, 153–164.
| Slope and fuel load effects on fire behavior: laboratory experiments in pine needles fuel beds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dupuy JL, Maréchal J, Portier D, Valette JC (2011) The effects of slope and fuel bed width on laboratory fire behaviour. International Journal of Wildland Fire 20, 272–288.
| The effects of slope and fuel bed width on laboratory fire behaviour.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Finney MA, Cohen JD, Forthofer JM, McAllister SS, Gollner MJ, Gorham DJ, Saito K, Akafuah NK, Adam BA, English JD, Dickinson RE (2015) Role of buoyant flame dynamics in wildfire spread. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112, 9833–9838.
| Role of buoyant flame dynamics in wildfire spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26183227PubMed |
Finney MA, Smith CT, Maynard TB (2019) Experiments on wildfire ignition by exploding targets. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Research Paper RMRS-RP-108. (Fort Collins, CO)
Freeborn PH, Wooster MJ, Hao WM, Ryan CA, Nordgren BL, Baker SP, Ichoku C (2008) Relationships between energy release, fuel mass loss, and trace gas and aerosol emissions during laboratory biomass fires. Journal of Geophysical Research, D, Atmospheres 113, D01301
| Relationships between energy release, fuel mass loss, and trace gas and aerosol emissions during laboratory biomass fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kang W, Trang ND, Lee SH, Choi HM, Shim JS, Jang HS, Choi YM (2015) Experimental and numerical investigations of the factors affecting the S-type Pitot tube coefficients. Flow Measurement and Instrumentation 44, 11–18.
| Experimental and numerical investigations of the factors affecting the S-type Pitot tube coefficients.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liu N, Wu J, Chen H, Zhang L, Deng Z, Satoh K, Viegas DX, Raposo JR (2015) Upslope spread of a linear flame front over a pine needle fuel bed: The role of convection cooling. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 35, 2691–2698.
| Upslope spread of a linear flame front over a pine needle fuel bed: The role of convection cooling.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mendes-Lopes JMC, Ventura JMP, Amaral JMP (2003) Flame characteristics, temperature–time curves, and rate of spread in fires propagating in a bed of Pinus pinaster needles. International Journal of Wildland Fire 12, 67–84.
| Flame characteristics, temperature–time curves, and rate of spread in fires propagating in a bed of Pinus pinaster needles.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moinuddin KAM, Sutherland D, Mell W (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 |
Pastor E, Zárate L, Planas E, Arnaldos J (2003) Mathematical models and calculation systems for the study of wildland fire behaviour. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 29, 139–153.
| Mathematical models and calculation systems for the study of wildland fire behaviour.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pinto C, André J, Viegas DX (2020) Double S-type Pitot tube for velocity field study of fire whirls. Flow Measurement and Instrumentation 76, 101806
| Double S-type Pitot tube for velocity field study of fire whirls.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Raposo J (2016) Extreme fire behaviour associated with merging of two linear fire fronts. PhD thesis, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Available at http://hdl.handle.net/10316/31020
Raposo JR, Viegas DX, Xie X, Almeida M, Figueiredo A, Porto L, Sharples J (2018) Analysis of the physical processes associated with junction fires at laboratory and field scales. International Journal of Wildland Fire 27, 52–68.
| Analysis of the physical processes associated with junction fires at laboratory and field scales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rodrigues A, Ribeiro C, Raposo J, Viegas DX, André J (2019) Effect of canyons on a fire propagating laterally over slopes. Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering 5, 402–409.
| Effect of canyons on a fire propagating laterally over slopes.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-RP-115. (Ogden, UT)
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)
Sharples JJ (2009) An overview of mountain meteorological effects relevant to fire behaviour and bushfire risk. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, 737–754.
| An overview of mountain meteorological effects relevant to fire behaviour and bushfire risk.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Silvani X, Morandini F, Dupuy JL, Susset A, Vernet R, Lambert O (2018) Measuring velocity field and heat transfer during natural fire spread over large inclinable bench. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science 92, 184–201.
| Measuring velocity field and heat transfer during natural fire spread over large inclinable bench.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sullivan AL (2009) Wildland surface fire spread modelling, 1990–2007. 3: Simulation and mathematical analogue models. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, 387–403.
| Wildland surface fire spread modelling, 1990–2007. 3: Simulation and mathematical analogue models.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Thomas CM, Sharples JJ, Evans JP (2017) Modelling the dynamic behaviour of junction fires with a coupled atmosphere-fire model. International Journal of Wildland Fire 26, 331–344.
| Modelling the dynamic behaviour of junction fires with a coupled atmosphere-fire model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tolhurst K (2009) Report on the Physical Nature of the Victorian Fires occurring on 7th February 2009.
Viegas DX (2002) Fire line rotation as a mechanism for fire spread on a uniform slope. International Journal of Wildland Fire 11, 11–23.
| Fire line rotation as a mechanism for fire spread on a uniform slope.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX (2004a) 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 (2004b) Slope and wind effects on fire propagation. International Journal of Wildland Fire 13, 143–156.
| Slope and wind effects on fire propagation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX (2004c) A mathematical model for forest fires blowup. Combustion Science and Technology 177, 27–51.
| A mathematical model for forest fires blowup.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX (2006) Parametric study of an eruptive fire behaviour model. International Journal of Wildland Fire 15, 169–177.
| Parametric study of an eruptive fire behaviour model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX, Neto LPC (1991) Wall shear-stress as a parameter to correlate the rate of spread of a wind-induced forest fire. International Journal of Wildland Fire 1, 177–188.
| Wall shear-stress as a parameter to correlate the rate of spread of a wind-induced forest fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX, Pita LP (2004) Fire spread in canyons. International Journal of Wildland Fire 13, 253–274.
| Fire spread in canyons.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Viegas DX, Simeoni A (2011) Eruptive behaviour of forest fires. Fire Technology 47, 303–320.
| Eruptive behaviour of forest fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wade DD, Ward DE (1973) An analysis of the Air Force Bomb Range Fire. USDA Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Research Paper SE-105. (Asheville, NC)
Xie X, Liu N, Viegas DX, Raposo JR (2014) Experimental research on upslope fire and jump fire. Fire Safety Science 11, 1430–1442.
| Experimental research on upslope fire and jump fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Xie X, Liu N, Raposo JR, Viegas DX, Yuan X, Tu R (2020) An experimental and analytical investigation of canyon fire spread. Combustion and Flame 212, 367–376.
| An experimental and analytical investigation of canyon fire spread.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yang Z, Zhang H, Zhang L, Chen H (2018) Experimental study on downslope fire spread over a pine needle fuel bed. Fire Technology 54, 1487–1503.
| Experimental study on downslope fire spread over a pine needle fuel bed.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
