Construction of empirical models for predicting Pinus sp. dead fine fuel moisture in NW Spain. I: Response to changes in temperature and relative humidity
Ana Daría Ruiz González A C , Jose Antonio Vega Hidalgo B and Juan Gabriel Álvarez González A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Departamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, E-27002 Lugo, Spain.
B Departamento de Protección ambiental, CINAM-Lourizán, Xunta de Galicia, E-36080 Pontevedra, Spain.
C Corresponding author. Email: anadaria.ruiz@usc.es
International Journal of Wildland Fire 18(1) 71-83 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF07101
Submitted: 25 July 2007 Accepted: 27 May 2008 Published: 17 February 2009
Abstract
A statistical methodology is presented for developing moisture content models from repeated measurements made on non-destructive repeated measurements. Empirical vapour exchange models for dead fine fuels generated in Pinus radiata and P. pinaster stands are developed by using the methodology proposed. Experiments were carried out with five types of fuel particles (surface and aerial fine fuels) of the two species of pine, in Lugo (Galicia, north-west Spain). The samples of each fuel type were collected and placed inside an instrument shelter so that vapour exchange with the atmosphere was the only source of moisture in the fuels. Statistical criteria obtained from the residuals indicated that the fitted models were acceptable. The cross-validation results also confirmed the validity of the fitted models. The model underlined the decisive role played by the time lag in dead fine fuel moisture content variation.
Additional keywords: fire behaviour, fire danger, vapour exchange.
Acknowledgements
The data management was partly funded by FIRE PARADOX (a European integrated fire management project from the VI Research Frame Program of the European Commission-018505). We are sincerely grateful to three anonymous referees for their useful suggestions and comments that improved an earlier version of the manuscript.
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