Determination of the fire hazard of forest plantations depending on surface fuels under laboratory combustion conditions using thermophysical parameters

Abstract

The work aims to investigate experimentally the assessment of the combustion parameters of forest vegetation based on received ignition and combustion characteristics according to the presence of surface forest fuels (FF). The research was carried out using the laboratory test facility, which allowed simulating various types of combustion. Using the thermocouple method, as well as the heat flow sensor, made it possible to control the thermal characteristics. The maximum heat fluxes that are characteristic of FF fractions, such as oak bark, Salix acutifolia branches, and oak wood reached 49±3.5 kW/m2. Among grass species, the highest heat fluxes were recorded during the combustion of narrow-leaved bluegrass (47.4±3.21 kW/m2). The amount of stored energy directly depends on the material structure, density, and initial moisture content. It should be taken into account that the fire hazard of a forest area depends on pyrological properties, and especially on the moisture content of the dominant type of fuel bed.