Fuel in Tasmanian Dry Eucalypt Forests: Prediction of Fuel Load and Fuel Hazard Rating from Fuel Age

Marsden-Smedley, Jon B.; Anderson, Wendy R.; Pyrke, Adrian

doi:10.3390/fire5040103

Cited by 4 publications

References 28 publications

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A comment on the use of visually assessed fuel hazard ratings and scores for Australian fire management and research

Cruz

2024

Int. J. Wildland Fire

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Background Assessment of fuel hazard has become the dominant method of describing Australian forest fuel complexes, despite a lack of evidence supporting the veracity of its underpinning assumptions. Aims To analyse and discuss the merits of fuel hazard ratings and scores in representing measurable fuel characteristics, such as fuel load and fire behaviour potential. Methods Published findings were reviewed, and available data analysed to investigate the validity of the Australian fuel hazard assessment concepts. Key results Multiple published studies showed the Australian fuel hazard assessment methods to be subjective and non-replicable. All available evidence shows no relationship between fuel hazard ratings and fuel quantity. No relationship between the ratings and fire behaviour potential was found. Conclusions The principles underpinning the use of fuel hazard ratings for fuel assessment were shown to be unfounded. The ratings cannot be converted into physical fuel characteristics or fire behaviour potential, and its application in Australian fire management is unwarranted.

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A comment on the use of visually assessed fuel hazard ratings and scores for Australian fire management and research

Cruz

2024

Int. J. Wildland Fire

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The effectiveness of past wildfire at limiting reburning is short-lived in a Mediterranean humid climate

Davim,

Rossa,

Pereira

et al. 2023

fire ecol

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Background The study of wildfire interactions (i.e., spread limitation and reburns) is gaining traction as a means of describing the self-limiting process of fire spread in the landscape and has important management implications but has scarcely been attempted in Europe. We examined to what extent previously burned areas restricted the development of individual large wildfires (> 500 ha) in mainland Portugal. Results For the 1984–2021 period, we (1) modeled the proportion of large wildfire perimeters coinciding with transitions to shorter time since fire (TSF), i.e., locations where fire spread ceased upon encountering assumedly less flammable fuels, and (2) characterized the prevalence of different TSF in the composition of the area burned by large wildfires in relation to available TSF. Only 4% of the large wildfires did not comprise edges intersecting past wildfires. Low TSF (especially up to 8 years) resulted in large-wildfire perimeter limitation at TSF transitions. This effect was further enhanced by high historical burn probability and proximity to roadways and watercourses. Perimeter limitation did also increase under high (but not very high or extreme) fire danger, benefiting from maximum seasonal firefighting preparedness. TSF prevalence in the composition of large-wildfire area was extremely variable and thus an overall weak pattern emerged, with minimum and maximum prevalence respectively at TSF < 2 years and TSF ≥ 6 years. Conclusions Large wildfire limitation in Portugal is hampered by fast fuel build-up after fire, indicating a short-lived fire-hazard reduction effect under the prevailing Mediterranean humid climate of the study region. Nonetheless, such effect should be considered when planning fuel-reduction treatments and can be used opportunistically during large-wildfire suppression operations.

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The effectiveness of past wildfire in limiting reburning is short-lived in a Mediterranean humid climate

Davim

Rossa

Pereira

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Background The study of wildfire interactions (i.e., spread limitation and reburns) is gaining traction as a means of describing the self-limiting process of fire spread in the landscape and has important management implications but has not been attempted in Europe. We examined to what extent previously burned areas restricted the development of large wildfires (>500 ha) in mainland Portugal. Results We analysed wildfire areas in Portugal (1984-2021) and (1) modelled the proportion of large wildfire perimeters that ceased spread at fuel-age transitions to younger fuels resulting from previous wildfires, and (2) characterized patterns of large wildfire preference (and avoidance) for fuel age. Only 4% of the large wildfires did not comprise edges intersecting past wildfires. Low fuel age (especially up to 8 years post-fire) resulted in a high probability of a large wildfire perimeter being limited at fuel-age transitions, further enhanced by high historical burn probability and proximity to roads and watercourses. Perimeter limitation was lowest for Summer wildfires (and high fire-suppression preparedness). The response of wildfire preference to increasing fuel age was extremely variable and thus an overall weak pattern emerged, with avoidance of fuels < 3 years and equal preference for ≥ 6-year-old fuels. Conclusions Large wildfire growth was hampered by building-up fuel resulting from antecedent wildfires. The fuel-reduction effect is short-lived in the prevailing Mediterranean humid climate of the study region. Nonetheless, it should be considered when planning fuel-reduction treatments and can be used as an opportunistic fuel treatment during large wildfire suppression operations.

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Fuel in Tasmanian Dry Eucalypt Forests: Prediction of Fuel Load and Fuel Hazard Rating from Fuel Age

Cited by 4 publications

References 28 publications

A comment on the use of visually assessed fuel hazard ratings and scores for Australian fire management and research

A comment on the use of visually assessed fuel hazard ratings and scores for Australian fire management and research

The effectiveness of past wildfire at limiting reburning is short-lived in a Mediterranean humid climate

The effectiveness of past wildfire in limiting reburning is short-lived in a Mediterranean humid climate

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