The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETEC
Current methods of predicting fire spread in Canadian forests are suited to large wildfires that spread through natural forests. Recently, the use of mechanical and thinning treatments of forests in the wildland-urban interface of Canada has increased. To assist in community wildfire protection plan...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-06-01
|
| Series: | Fire |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/3/2/18 |
| _version_ | 1797566109785784320 |
|---|---|
| author | Ginny Marshall Dan K. Thompson Kerry Anderson Brian Simpson Rodman Linn Dave Schroeder |
| author_facet | Ginny Marshall Dan K. Thompson Kerry Anderson Brian Simpson Rodman Linn Dave Schroeder |
| author_sort | Ginny Marshall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Current methods of predicting fire spread in Canadian forests are suited to large wildfires that spread through natural forests. Recently, the use of mechanical and thinning treatments of forests in the wildland-urban interface of Canada has increased. To assist in community wildfire protection planning in forests not covered by existing operational fire spread models, we use FIRETEC to simulate fire spread in lowland black spruce fuel structures, the most common tree stand in Canada. The simulated treatments included the mechanical mulching of strips, and larger, irregularly shaped areas. In all cases, the removal of fuel by mulch strips broke up the fuels, but also caused wind speed increases, so little decrease in fire spread rate was modelled. For large irregular clearings, the fire spread slowly through the mulched wood chips, and large decreases in fire spread and intensity were simulated. Furthermore, some treatments in the black spruce forest were found to be effective in decreasing the distance and/or density of firebrands. The simulations conducted can be used alongside experimental fires and documented wildfires to examine the effectiveness of differing fuel treatment options to alter multiple components of fire behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:22:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b096fb2f92b748eea924158008aa1901 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:22:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj.art-b096fb2f92b748eea924158008aa19012023-11-20T02:56:27ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552020-06-01321810.3390/fire3020018The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETECGinny Marshall0Dan K. Thompson1Kerry Anderson2Brian Simpson3Rodman Linn4Dave Schroeder5Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, 5320 122st, Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, CanadaCanadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, 5320 122st, Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, CanadaCanadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, 5320 122st, Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, CanadaCanadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, 5320 122st, Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, CanadaLos Alamos National Laboratory, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USAAlberta Agriculture and Forestry, 9718 107 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5K 2N6, CanadaCurrent methods of predicting fire spread in Canadian forests are suited to large wildfires that spread through natural forests. Recently, the use of mechanical and thinning treatments of forests in the wildland-urban interface of Canada has increased. To assist in community wildfire protection planning in forests not covered by existing operational fire spread models, we use FIRETEC to simulate fire spread in lowland black spruce fuel structures, the most common tree stand in Canada. The simulated treatments included the mechanical mulching of strips, and larger, irregularly shaped areas. In all cases, the removal of fuel by mulch strips broke up the fuels, but also caused wind speed increases, so little decrease in fire spread rate was modelled. For large irregular clearings, the fire spread slowly through the mulched wood chips, and large decreases in fire spread and intensity were simulated. Furthermore, some treatments in the black spruce forest were found to be effective in decreasing the distance and/or density of firebrands. The simulations conducted can be used alongside experimental fires and documented wildfires to examine the effectiveness of differing fuel treatment options to alter multiple components of fire behavior.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/3/2/18fire modelingFIRETECfire behavior |
| spellingShingle | Ginny Marshall Dan K. Thompson Kerry Anderson Brian Simpson Rodman Linn Dave Schroeder The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETEC Fire fire modeling FIRETEC fire behavior |
| title | The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETEC |
| title_full | The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETEC |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETEC |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETEC |
| title_short | The Impact of Fuel Treatments on Wildfire Behavior in North American Boreal Fuels: A Simulation Study Using FIRETEC |
| title_sort | impact of fuel treatments on wildfire behavior in north american boreal fuels a simulation study using firetec |
| topic | fire modeling FIRETEC fire behavior |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/3/2/18 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ginnymarshall theimpactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT dankthompson theimpactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT kerryanderson theimpactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT briansimpson theimpactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT rodmanlinn theimpactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT daveschroeder theimpactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT ginnymarshall impactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT dankthompson impactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT kerryanderson impactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT briansimpson impactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT rodmanlinn impactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec AT daveschroeder impactoffueltreatmentsonwildfirebehaviorinnorthamericanborealfuelsasimulationstudyusingfiretec |