Phases and Time-Scales of Ignition and Burning of Live Fuels

Abstract

Wildland fires impact ecosystems and communities worldwide. Many wildfires burn in living or a mixture of living and senescent vegetation. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the burning behavior of living fuels, in contrast to just dead or dried fuels, to more effectively support fire management decisions. In this study, the ignition and burning behaviors of needles placed in convective heat flux were evaluated. The species included longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western red cedar (Thuja plicata), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), western larch (Larix occidentalis), pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), white spruce (Picea glauca), and sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate). The ignition and burning behaviors were related to live fuel moisture content (LFMC), pilot flame temperatures, and convective heat fluxes. The different phases of ignition and burning were captured using high-speed imaging. In general, four burning phases can be observed: droplet ejection and burning, a transition phase, flaming combustion, and smoldering combustion. Ejection and subsequent burning of droplets can occur prior to sustained flaming ignition only in live fuels. For some species (e.g., longleaf pine, ponderosa pine, white spruce) droplet ejection and burning can reduce ignition times relative to dried fuel with lower LFMC. In general, the transition phase tends to take longer than the flaming and droplet phases (when these occur). During the transition phase, the fuels are heated and pyrolysis occurs. Time-scales to ignition and the different phases of ignition and burning vary more among live fuels than dead and dried fuels. This conclusion indicates that other parameters, such as chemical composition and structural morphology of the fuel, can significantly influence the burning of live fuels.