Abstract
Fuel moisture content is one of the important factors that determine ignition probability and fire behaviour in forest ecosystems. In this study, ignition and fire spread moisture content thresholds of 40 dead fuel were performed in laboratory experiments, with a focus on the source of ignition and wind speed. Variability in fuel moisture content at time of ignition and during fire spread was observed for different fuels. Matches were more efficient to result in ignition and spread fire with high values of fuel moisture content compared to the use of cigarette butts. Some fuels did not ignite at 15% moisture content, whereas others ignited at 40% moisture content and fire spread at 38% moisture content in the case of matches, or ignited at 27% moisture content and spread fire at 25% moisture content using cigarette butts. A two-way ANOVA showed that both the source of ignition and the wind speed affected ignition and fire spread threshold significantly, but there was no interaction between these factors. The relationship between ignition and fire spread was strong, with R2 = 98% for cigarette butts, and 92% for matches. Further information is needed, especially on the density of fuels, fuel proportion (case of mixed fuels), fuel age, and fuel combustibility.
Highlights
Understanding the appropriate forest policy and how it should be implemented is crucial for protecting fragile ecosystems and preserving ecosystem services (Alessio et al 2008)
The results indicate that both ignition and fire spread thresholds depend on fuel type
Fuels at different moisture contents ignited according to the species, wind speed, and ignition source
Summary
Understanding the appropriate forest policy and how it should be implemented is crucial for protecting fragile ecosystems and preserving ecosystem services (Alessio et al 2008) In this respect, forest fires have been extensively studied at specific spatial scales at which climate conditions interact with the fuel load and moisture content, composition, and spatial distribution to affect ignition and fire behaviour (Allen et al 2016). McAllister and Weise (2017) showed that this alone cannot explain the ignition behaviour of fuels In addition to these findings, Rossa (2018) provided several more determinants considered as key variables for measuring the risk of ignition and fire spread, including fuel load and its moisture content, topography, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, and air temperature
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