A field experiment on grass fire effects on wooden constructions and peat layer ignition

Abstract

This paper investigates the cause of ignition of wooden shields during surface fire fronts. For this purpose an experiment was conducted in which a zone 50m in length and 10m in width was chosen as the experimental site. Wooden shields (made of spruce boards) and samples of high-moor and valley peat were placed in this zone. In the experiment it was ascertained that to ensure safety during the surface fire in absence of firebrands and embers it was necessary to clear a perimeter around the zone not less than 5m in width, and remove cleared fuels. To reduce the risk of fence ignition, it was necessary to make the fences permeable. It was found that grass fires turn into peat fires if there is a conductor of combustion above the layer of peat.

Thermal characterization of firebrand piles

“…6 shows the experimental set-up for the wind tunnel experiments. The experimental board was the same board used in the ambient tests.…”

Ignitibility of structural wood products exposed to embers during wildland fires :

“…However, it has been reported that such ignitions are very unlikely to cause total destruction of a structure until an opening is formed and flames and/or embers penetrate into the interior [52]. Intermittent flaming exposure from vegetative fires at a distance of 3 m (10 ft) to 3.6 m (12 ft) is not capable of producing sufficient heat to ignite the wooden exterior of a structure [53,58]. However, it is very likely that the intense flaming exposure from a burning structure at a distance of 3 m (10 ft) can set the neighboring structure on fire.…”

Investigation of the ignition of wood structural materials (with and without fire retardant treatment) under the influence of a model fire of irregular intensity

“…In the literature there are a lot of experimental studies concerning the fire hazard of wood, which demonstrate the influence of various factors on the fire hazard indices (species of wood, conditions and duration of operation, humidity, fire intensity, etc.). These studies are represented by the works of [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. In these works the pyrolysis and thermal oxidative degradation of wood are studied, thermal and physical characteristics are determined, and the values of carbonization rates are obtained for various temperature modes.…”