Wind tunnel experiments on effects of woven wire screens and buffer zones in mitigating risks associated with firebrand showers

Abstract

The benefits of using wire screens to mitigate wildfire spread are well known and many standards mandate their use in wildland fire prone areas. However, some recent studies show that firebrands can penetrate through screens. The penetrated firebrands are smaller in size, have less potential to ignite fuel beds and have a shorter burn-out time. This leads to the idea that a combination of a buffer zone and screens might be able to serve as a wildfire barrier. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of such an approach for two screens with a relatively short buffer zone. The results show that the combination is very effective in reducing firebrand intensity but falls short of full protection. The study suggests the combination of screens and a wider buffer zone is a promising approach to mitigate the spread of wildfires.