Fire Wood Research Articles

Infrared Thermographic Diagnostics of Wood Fire Resistance under Combined Thermal Effect Conditions from a Ground Fire Front and Firebrands

Experiments were conducted on certain types of combustible building materials and wood-based structures to determine the interaction between firebrands and forest fuel (FF). Using non-contact IR diagnostic methods in narrow spectral ranges of infrared wavelengths, the heat flux values generated by firebrands and the temperature field of the most heat-stressed sections of the structures under study were determined. Using a JADE J530SB thermal imager with an optical filter of 2,5—2,7 m, temperatures in the range 310—1500 K were measured in the infrared region. In order to interpret the recorded emission from the test sample, calibrations supplied by the narrowband optical filter manufacturer were used.

Dynamics of standing dead wood and severe fire in north Australian savannas: implications for carbon management

Background Many fires in north Australian savannas are severe enough to cause canopy scorch, tree death and removal of stags. Better fire management may increase carbon sequestration in trees, perhaps including stags. Aims To describe and analyse dynamics of stags in tropical savannas (600–1000 mm annual rainfall) in relation to fire and better understand their role in biomass sequestration. Methods We monitored marked populations of live and dead trees over 12 years. Statistical models describing influences on stag creation and loss are applied in stag dynamics simulations. Key results Immediately following severe fire, stag biomass increases acutely because many more live trees are killed than stags removed. Between severe fires, stag losses exceed tree deaths, so peaks are quite short. Many ‘new’ stags are lost (fallen or consumed) quickly. Conclusions Between fires, stags comprise ~7.5–8.9% of standing above-ground biomass, more under dry conditions and during recovery from severe fire or other drivers of increased tree mortality. Fire management is unlikely to increase proportions of total woody biomass in stags unless it also reduces live biomass. Implications Reducing frequency of severe fires can increase total carbon sequestration in dry tropical savannas. Prediction uncertainties and management risks around sequestration present daunting challenges for policy-makers and fire management practitioners.

Effect of pruning and grasses on forage productivity, carbon storage, soil healthand economics of Anjan tree (Hardwickia binata) based silvopasture systems

A field experiment was conducted during 2018 to 2023 on ten years old Hardwickia binata Roxb. based silvopasture system at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi. The treatment consisted of three pruning intensities of H. binata, viz. 30%, 45% and 60% and establishment of three grasses, viz. Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon fulvus and Panicum maximum in association with H. binata. Pruning of branches of H. binata at 60% intensity recorded significantly higher top feed (TF 1.48, 1.77, 2.23, 2.68 and 3.27 t/ha) and fire wood yields (FW 2.74, 3.17, 3.49, 3.79 and 4.65 t/ha) as compared to 30% pruning intensity (TF 0.93, 1.01, 1.19, 1.55 and 2.08 t/ha and FW 1.76, 1.90, 1.98, 2.26 and 2.84 t/ha) and 45% pruning intensity (TF 1.21, 1.41, 1.75, 2.15 and 2.59 t/ha and FW 2.33, 2.59, 2.82, 3.08 and 3.63 t/ha) during 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th years of study, respectively. Among grasses, establishment of C. fulvus in association with H. binata recorded significantly higher dry pasture yields (7.91, 8.33, 8.66, 8.93 and 9.18 t/ha) as compared to P. maximum (6.19, 6.37, 6.54, 7.08 and 7.41 t/ha) and it was found at par with C. ciliaris (7.62, 8.15, 8.44, 8.70 and 8.86 t/ha) during 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th years of study. Estab- lishment of H. binata based silvopasture systems on poor shallow soil and degraded land recorded 9.11-15.50% improvement in available nutrients (N : 12.73%, P : 15.50% and K : 9.11%) and organic carbon (OC 9.47%) in 5th year of experiment than initial year (N 229.39, P 8.32 and K 214.73 kg/ha and OC 0.584%. Similarly, H. binata recorded 111.31% higher carbon stock in 5th year of study (23.04 t/ha) as compared to initial year (10.90 t/ha). In term of monetary return, maximum net return and benefit-cost ratio was obtained from 60% pruning intensity (` 63459/ha and 2.08) followed by 45% pruning intensity (` 50263/ha and 1.91) from H. binata based silvopasture system.

FEATURES OF WASHING WATER-SOLUBLE PHOSPHORUS-AMMONIUM SALTS OF FIREPROOF WOOD COATING

The article analyzes fire-resistant materials for wooden building structures and establishes the need to develop reliable methods of researching the process of washing out flame retardants from the surface of the building structure, which are necessary for the creation of new types of fire-resistant materials. Therefore, there is a need to determine the conditions for the formation of a barrier for leaching and to establish a mechanism for inhibiting the transfer of moisture to the material. In this regard, a mathematical model of flame retardant leaching has been developed, when a polymer shell made of organic material is used as a coating, which allows evaluating the effectiveness of the polymer shell based on the amount of flame retardant washed out. According to experimental data and theoretical dependences, the dynamics of release of flame retardants from the fire-resistant layer of the coating, which does not exceed 1.0%, is calculated, and accordingly provides fire protection of wood. The results of determining the loss of mass of the sample during exposure to water indicate an ambiguous effect of the nature of the protection on leaching. In particular, this assumes the availability of data sufficient for qualitatively carrying out the process of inhibiting moisture diffusion and identifying, on its basis, the moment in time when the decline in coating efficiency begins. Experimental studies have confirmed that a sample of fire-resistant wood after exposure to water for 30 days withstood the influence of heat flow. In particular, the loss of wood mass after temperature exposure was less than 6%, and the temperature of flue gases did not exceed 185 ºС. Thus, there are reasons to assert the possibility of targeted regulation of wood fire protection processes through the use of polymer coatings capable of forming a protective layer on the surface of the fire retardant material, which inhibits the rate of flame retardant leaching.

An experimental study of fire development under varying ventilation conditions during the depressurization process in pressurized buildings

Hermetic pressurized buildings are a new type of building in high-altitude areas that efficiently addresses issues such as high-altitude reactions. The indoor pressure is higher than the external pressure under working conditions, and pressure relief must be carried out first during emergencies. The emergency pressure relief process during a fire may lead to complex fire behavior that is different from that in regular buildings. In this study, we focus on the impact of ventilation conditions and the status of doors in such buildings on fire evolution and smoke plume characteristics through experiments. The temperature variation in the fire room and corridor is measured under different ventilation power, ventilation time, and door opening width conditions. This shows that the width of the door has the greatest impact on fire development. A smaller gap in the door opening restricts air circulation between the interior and exterior of the room, resulting in a rapid decrease in the oxygen concentration within the fire room and a decrease in the combustion reaction rate of wood fires. The ventilation power exerts the most significant influence on the temperature variation in the corridor. These findings provide empirical data and a basis for fire science studies in high-altitude hermetic pressurized buildings and can guide existing fire protection design and management for improved safety.

Household Fuelwood Consumption and Its Implication for Carbon Dioxide Emission

This review paper aims to gather informative data on the impact of climate extremes on the physical environment, public health, and the livelihoods of people in Ethiopia. The primary sources of data for this review were peer-reviewed journal articles obtained from electronic databases such as PubMed, Central, Scopus, and Web of Science. Globally, the vast majority of households in developing countries depend on wood energy for their daily energy needs. Such consumption trends are expected to remain a common feature of traditional wood energy production and consumption, at least in the short- to medium-terms. This situation increases the demand for firewood and charcoal from the forest. The process of harvesting standing trees for charcoal and fire wood leads to forest degradation. Although woody biomass has the function of energy consumption, and as a source of income for rural villagers and urban poor dwellers practicing agriculture, wood energy generally has low priority in national policies of developing countries. However, unsustainable management and negative environmental consequences in humid and dry forests is derived from the use of fuel wood energy. Still now there is an unsystematic assessment of the economic contribution and environmental consequences of wood energy use, so its significance and consequences have been minimized. This deforestation and forest degradation contributes 1–2.4 Gt CO2e of greenhouse gases, which is 2–7% of global anthropogenic emissions, with global greenhouse gas emissions mostly CO2.

The effect of veneer-surface modification with fumed nanosilica on the selected properties of water-resistant plywood

ABSTRACT The aim of the presented research was to investigate the effect of veneer modification with both 2% aqueous dispersion of fumed nanosilica and dispersion of fumed nanosilica containing additional 5% of wood fire retardant, on bonding quality and the flammability parameters of water-resistant plywood. The veneer modification was evaluated using SEM images. The bonding quality was determined through shear strength tests conducted post-aging procedures. Flammability tests were conducted using a mass loss calorimeter and the French method. Parameters such as heat release rate, average rate of heat release, mass loss, time to ignition, time of flameout, total heat release, burned surface area were determined to assess the fire resistance. The results showed that the modification of veneers with nano-SiO2 did not affect the bonding quality, however, the application of a dispersion containing a small amount of fire retardant resulted in a significant reduction in the shear strength. Significantly shorter ignition time was recorded for both modification methods, but at the same time, a reduction in a mass loss and an amount of heat released was also observed. The obtained results indicate the potential of veneer’s surface modification with fumed silica to increase fire resistance of plywood with high bonding quality.

Eco-Friendly Polymer Nanocomposite Coatings for Next-Generation Fire Retardants for Building Materials.

The increasing global commitment to carbon neutrality has propelled a heightened focus on sustainable construction materials, with wood emerging as pivotal due to its environmental benefits. This review explores the development and application of eco-friendly polymer nanocomposite coatings to enhance wood's fire resistance, addressing a critical limitation in its widespread adoption. These nanocomposites demonstrate improved thermal stability and char formation properties by integrating nanoparticles, such as nano-clays, graphene oxide, and metal oxides, into biopolymer matrices. This significantly mitigates the flammability of wood substrates, creating a robust barrier against heat and oxygen. The review provides a comprehensive examination of these advanced coatings' synthesis, characterization, and performance. By emphasizing recent innovations and outlining future research directions, this review underscores the potential of eco-friendly polymer nanocomposite coatings as next-generation fire retardants. This advancement supports the expanded utilization of wood in sustainable construction practices and aligns with global initiatives toward achieving carbon neutrality.

Elemental analysis of glass artifacts from Sarethi (India): Examining possible evidence of glass craft in northeastern Uttar Pradesh

Fragments of glass bangles from the site of Sarethi in Uttar Pradesh, India were investigated using laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry. This site yielded glass artifacts dating from 200 BCE to 1500 CE but also some possible evidence of bangle making during the 200 BCE-300 CE period. Two main glass types were identified at the site, with only one sample with a possible Middle Eastern origin and all the other bangles manufactured from three different sub-types of Indian glass. Most of the tested samples belong to the recently discovered and still poorly documented glass group m-Na-Al 8. The other samples could be attributed to either the m-Na-Al 3 or m-Na-Al 4 glass types. We hypothesized that all these different m-Na-Al glasses were manufactured within the eastern Uttar Pradesh region where Sarethi is located although this will need further investigations. Vitreous artifacts of an uncertain nature were also analyzed to determine if they were connected to glass working at the site. These artifacts were certainly the results of the presence of sand close to a wood fire. Comparison of the results of Sarethi and Kopia, a site located 70 km away, indicates distinct glass patterns, suggesting their inclusion in different exchange networks despite their contemporaneity and proximity.

Biodiversity impact of the consumption of peat and wood-fired district heating

A shift from fossil fuels to biofuels is becoming an increasingly important part of national and corporate climate strategies, but the biodiversity impacts of biofuels are often ignored and remain poorly understood. Here we developed a novel eight-step general framework for the assessment of consumption-based biodiversity impacts of biofuels and applied the framework to assess the biodiversity impacts of peat and wood-fired district heating in Finland. We utilize the habitat hectare approach for which information about the ecosystem condition before and after the impact is needed. The habitat hectare approach has not yet been used on assessments of consumption-based biodiversity impacts. Of the different fuel types used in peat and wood-fired district heating in Finland, peat had the highest biodiversity impact per unit area, followed by chips from roundwood and logging residue chips. By-products from sawmill industry are argued to have no additional biodiversity impacts. Interestingly, however, when we consider the biodiversity impacts per unit energy, chips from roundwood had the highest and peat the lowest biodiversity impact. Our results suggest there is a truly substantial trade-off between the climate and biodiversity impacts of wood and peat firing. We conclude that the habitat hectare approach combined with the presented general assessment framework is a promising approach to be used in the assessment of consumption-based biodiversity impacts in different land use contexts, such as biodiversity offsetting, around the globe. This protocol should be further developed and refined in different systems and with different bio-based materials and land use contexts.

Onions, Salt and Palm Oil Marination Reduced Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon in Cooked Chevon and Beef Meat: A Risk Assessment Study

The roles of foods in human health can be greatly influenced by processing. The process of singeing deposits polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on meat. However, some food additives have shown tendencies to reduce PAHs levels in singed food. This study conducted a risk assessment study on the effect of onions, salt and palm oil marination on Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in cooked chevon and beef meat. The singed meat samples were cooked with specific quantities of additives (onions, salt and palm oil). PAHs levels were analyzed using Gas Chromatography Mass spectrophotometer (GC-MS) and the health risk assessment was conducted as described by USEPA. Our findings revealed that meat samples singed with augmented fire wood accumulated more PAHs than those singed with only firewood; also chevon accumulated more PAHs than beef. PAHs content in all singed meat samples cooked with maximum quantity of additives (15 g) for 30 min had reduction in concentration of about 99%. The estimated daily intake (EDI) showed that PAHs concentration were higher in uncooked meat samples singed with augmented firewood. The least concentration of PAH was seen in cooked chevon singed with only firewood (9.39E-06 mg/kg/day). The hazard quotients (HQs) evaluated showed that cooking the meat samples with additives, notably decreased PAHs concentration (from between 10−1 and 10−3 to between 10−5 and 10−7). The hazard index (HI) observed showed that PAHs concentration in cooked samples were lower than in uncooked samples. The Carcinogenic potency showed that the uncooked singed meat samples could lead to health complications except for the chevon sample singed with only firewood. However, all cooked samples showed lower health hazards with potency index which were all less than one (<1). The findings suggest that chevon accumulated PAHs more than beef. However, the carcinogenic potency of the PAHs in chevon was less than beef after cooking with additives.

Social Solidarity in Manyaratuih Hari (The 100th Day) Tradition in Taluak Community Tanah Datar Regency West Sumatra

The background of this research was the interest in seeing Taluak community’s social solidarity in carrying out manyaratuih hari tradition. Manyaratuih hari (the 100th day) is a tradition held on the 100th day of the death of a family member on which the family serves meals to the invited community members. Carrying out manyaratuih hari is an obligation because this traditional belief is a custom in Taluak community. Based on the observation, this research revealed the face of the community’s social solidarity in this tradition. A qualitative research method with ethnography was used in conducting this research. The result showed that the community’s social solidarity in carrying out manyaratuih hari was performed in the stages of (1) Preparing manyaratuih hari such as providing money, mamanggia (invitation), making temporary kitchen (bauang-bauang), building a tent, finding bamboo reeds, bamboo shoots, fire woods, and cooking some food, (2) Holding manyaratuih hari: serving the food, giving bawokan (by the guests), welcoming and taking bawokan from the guests.

A Comparative Analysis of Tannin and Commercial Fire Retardants in Wood Fire Protection

In civil construction, one of the primary challenges associated with wood application is its high flammability and low durability during fires. Although chemical treatment with fire-retardant properties exists, they are expensive and of non-renewable origin. Tannin, a wood extractive, being a phenolic compound, holds promise for enhancing the thermal properties of wood. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of tannin as a fire retardant and compare it with a commercial product, as well as comparing different application techniques for these products. Wood samples from the Simarouba amara Aubl. species were utilized. Tannin and a commercial flame retardant were applied via immersion, vacuum impregnation, brushing, and a treatment of tannin incorporated into water-based wood varnish. Alongside the burning test performance, assessments of the wood’s physical properties, such as colorimetry, thermal stability, and mass retention, were conducted. The application of tannin altered the wood’s color and reduced the spread of fire; its presence significantly reduced the flame duration and maintained the wood’s structural integrity. However, tannin retention was lower compared to commercial flame retardant, leading to reduced fire retardancy. Among the methods tested, immersion proved to be the most effective in enhancing the wood’s resistance to flame contact.

Attuning to processes of affective sociomaterialisation: exploring subjectivity and identity in outdoor early childhood provision in Scotland, UK

ABSTRACT This paper examines the formation of children’s subjectivities, related to the metaphysical conditions of being and becoming a subject, within outdoor early childhood provision in Scotland. It applies a sociomaterial metaphysical framework to propose an alternative way of understanding how subjectivities come to form in early childhood environments, bringing together Spinozist monism in relation to Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of assemblage and affect. Methodologically, an ethnographic approach inspired partly by the postqualitative field of scholarship is employed to gather data on children’s subjectivities at Wood Fire, a primarily outdoor early childhood setting. The data produced in this study affords an opportunity to understand the materiality and relationality of primarily outdoor early childhood provision through which subjectivities are in-formed. Thus, they demonstrate a more expanded understanding of how we, humans, are produced as individuals in specific encounters through processes of ‘affective sociomaterialisation’. Practically, this carries implications for how researchers might attune to the child’s sense of self on more expansive terms through processes of affective sociomaterialisation.

Stochastic Compartment Model with Mortality and Its Application to Epidemic Spreading in Complex Networks.

We study epidemic spreading in complex networks by a multiple random walker approach. Each walker performs an independent simple Markovian random walk on a complex undirected (ergodic) random graph where we focus on the Barabási-Albert (BA), Erdös-Rényi (ER), and Watts-Strogatz (WS) types. Both walkers and nodes can be either susceptible (S) or infected and infectious (I), representing their state of health. Susceptible nodes may be infected by visits of infected walkers, and susceptible walkers may be infected by visiting infected nodes. No direct transmission of the disease among walkers (or among nodes) is possible. This model mimics a large class of diseases such as Dengue and Malaria with the transmission of the disease via vectors (mosquitoes). Infected walkers may die during the time span of their infection, introducing an additional compartment D of dead walkers. Contrary to the walkers, there is no mortality of infected nodes. Infected nodes always recover from their infection after a random finite time span. This assumption is based on the observation that infectious vectors (mosquitoes) are not ill and do not die from the infection. The infectious time spans of nodes and walkers, and the survival times of infected walkers, are represented by independent random variables. We derive stochastic evolution equations for the mean-field compartmental populations with the mortality of walkers and delayed transitions among the compartments. From linear stability analysis, we derive the basic reproduction numbers RM,R0 with and without mortality, respectively, and prove that RM<R0. For RM,R0>1, the healthy state is unstable, whereas for zero mortality, a stable endemic equilibrium exists (independent of the initial conditions), which we obtained explicitly. We observed that the solutions of the random walk simulations in the considered networks agree well with the mean-field solutions for strongly connected graph topologies, whereas less well for weakly connected structures and for diseases with high mortality. Our model has applications beyond epidemic dynamics, for instance in the kinetics of chemical reactions, the propagation of contaminants, wood fires, and others.

Livelihood in Selected Coastal Areas in Ilocos Norte and Its Socio-Economic Dimension

Livelihoods are diverse and made up of multiple activities depending on the available assets to earn a living. Aside from fishing as the only major source of income for coastal dwellers, are there other means of livelihood that a coastal area can offer? This document will help us understand the complexity of coastal livelihoods and an idea on the alternative livelihoods within the coastal area. Result will be used to document and measure the socio-economic benefits and costs of different livelihood, and will also set limits and policies that are really adaptable in protecting our coastal resources. Purposive sampling was done with the assistance of the Department of Agriculture-Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council (DA-MAFC) who identified the respondents. Descriptive statistics, frequency counts, percentages and means were used to treat data collected. Results show that there exist some variations of livelihood along coastal areas like seaweed gathering, salt-making, stone and shell picking and crafting. There are also alternative source that would complement these traditional coastal means of livelihood like boat-making/boat for hire, making of fishing materials, fire woods gathering and homestay. It is necessary to employ interventions which help to strengthen capacity building in coastal communities. Trainings to improve their craft and packing should also be applied.

Performance of various water-based fire suppression systems in tunnels with longitudinal ventilation

Low pressure, medium pressure and high pressure water-based fire suppression systems were tested in a medium scale tunnel (scale 1:3). The primary objective was to investigate which of these systems are most effective in the suppression or control of different types of tunnel fires. The default low, medium and high pressure systems refer to full scale water flow rates of 10 mm/min, 6.8 mm/min and 3.7 mm/min, respectively. Some other water densities were also tested to investigate the effects, as well as different ventilation velocities and activation criteria. Several series of fire tests were conducted for different fire scenarios. The fire scenarios considered included idle wood pallet fires, loosely packed wood crib fires, loosely packed wood and plastic crib fires, and pool fires, with or without a top cover on the fuel load. Comparisons of the three default systems based on the three parameters: heat release rate, energy released and possibility of fire spread, show that the performance of the default low pressure system is usually the most effective based on the parameters studied. The default high pressure system usually yields results less effective in comparison to the default low pressure system. The performance of the default medium pressure system usually lies in between them. The high pressure system behaves very differently in comparison to the others, in terms of tunnel ventilation velocity, water density, operating pressure, and the presence of the top cover.

Pyric herbivory in a temperate European wood‐pasture system

Abstract The term pyric herbivory was first introduced in 2009, describing how fire shapes herbivory as burned areas attract herbivores and, simultaneously, herbivory shapes fuel load and fire behaviour. Pyric herbivory results in a mosaic of patches with varying levels of herbivory and grazing intensity fire intensity and frequency. The importance of pyric herbivory for ecosystem heterogeneity and biodiversity has been described for North American, Australian and African systems, but the concept remains largely untested in a European context. We introduced fire and herbivory in a full‐factorial experiment in a temperate European wood‐pasture system to test whether pyric herbivory operates in ways comparable to grassy systems elsewhere in the world. Using camera traps, we observed the behaviour of cattle in burned subplots (49 m2) compared with unburned subplots. We measured grass height and the proportion of the subplot that burned as variables affecting cattle preference and to assess how grazing affects fire behaviour. We also examined the effect on plant species and life‐form composition after six seasons of treatment. Cattle spent more time grazing in burned than in unburned subplots in the most productive paddock, where a larger proportion of the subplot burned. The proportion of a subplot that burned was positively related to pre‐fire grass height. Moreover, both grass height and the proportion of subplot burned declined in the burned subplots during the 6‐year study period and fire and cattle grazing altered the relative cover of graminoids and shrubs (Rubus spp.), with more graminoids in grazed and/or burned subplots and more shrubs in ungrazed subplots at the end of the study. Synthesis and applications. In our temperate European wood pasture, fire and (cattle) grazing interacted in ways comparable to pyric herbivory in grassy ecosystems elsewhere in the world, especially in the most productive paddock. Fire attracted grazing, with cattle grazing longer on subplots that burned more fully. Grazing also affected fire, where over the course of our experiment cattle grazing reduced grass height and the proportion of a subplot that burned. We suggest that pyric herbivory is an interesting management method to further explore in the European context to address the loss of biodiversity in open ecosystems, particularly in more productive sites.

Dynamically bonded cellulose nanocrystal hydrogels: Structure, rheology and fire prevention performance

Flame retardant composite hydrogels offer many advantages over conventional flame retardants, such as high water-retention capacity, enhanced fire resistance, and mechanical tunability. Herein, we developed flame-retardant dynamic covalent hydrogels using wood-derived cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) crosslinked with boronate ester bonds, addressing environmental and health issues associated with the presence of non-biodegradable synthetic polymer and/or inorganic nanoparticle components in the existing systems. Our rheological investigation shows a liquid-to-soft-solid transition of CNC dispersions with tunable network elasticity ranging between ≈ 0.2 kPa to 3.5 kPa and an immediate self-healing ability. Coating pine wood with these hydrogels delayed ignition by about 30 s compared to native wood, and achieved a remarkable limiting oxygen index of 64.5 %. Also, the increased borax content of the gels was found to decrease and delay the first peak of the heat release rate up to 40 s, causing an increase in the fire retardancy index by 277 %. We correlate the microstructure and rheological behavior with the fire prevention mechanisms for the rational design of sustainable fire-retardant materials, and the results showcased a circular use of plant-based dynamic gels to prevent wood fires, even after drying- a feature lacking in conventional hydrogels.

Wildfires as legacies of agropastoral abandonment: Gendered litter raking and managed burning as historic fire prevention practices in the Monte Pisano of Italy

Agropastoral practices that historically reduced the flammability of Mediterranean landscapes are poorly understood due to state prohibitions and lack of scientific interest. Oral histories, analysis of agronomical writings, transect walks, and ethnographic study of fire managers and community members in the Monte Pisano of Italy, find legacies of traditional agropastoral practices in present-day landscapes. Forest leaf litter raking, largely carried out by women, combined with fire wood cutting and burning to greatly reduce fire risk. Historic stigmatization of traditional burning and ignoring gendered peasant labor have reduced contemporary scientists’ and fire managers’ understandings of ecological processes and of options for reducing fire risk. Fire managers in the Mediterranean, and in areas around the world affected by rural depopulation, would benefit from a better understanding of traditional agropastoral and fire management practices. Litter raking has been understudied outside Central Europe, is often gendered, and may have important ecological consequences around the world.