Fuel characteristics and fire behavior in mixed deciduous forest areas with different fire frequencies in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Northern Thailand

Abstract

Fires are commonly used as part of the livelihood of local people in Thailand. However, population growth is causing serious problems with agricultural expansion, forest encroachment, and illegal settlement in protected areas. Human activities are causing fires in deciduous forests increasingly frequently. Understanding the fuel characteristics and fire behavior in mixed deciduous forest areas with different fire frequencies in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park will help in developing a suitable fire management plan for this area. Twenty quadrats, each 1 × 1 m, were used to collect data regarding fuel characteristics, and 50 × 50 m quadrats were used to study fire behavior in low and high fire-frequency areas. The fuel-load data were collected every month for a period of 1 year. The results indicated that in the two fire-frequency areas, the main fuel component in this forest type was litter (leaves). Fire consumed approximately 60–70% of the total fuel loads, and fuel recovery to the original level was predicted to take around 2 years. All the fire behavior features in the LFA and the HFA showed similar characteristics, and the fire type in both areas was defined as surface fire with low intensity, which usually occurs in deciduous forests of Thailand. The heat from the fire only affected the surface soil layer and did not cause any problems in deeper layers.