Journal article 80 views 74 downloads
A flammability phenology for dry mixed heaths and its implications for modelling fire behaviour
,
Rayanne Vitali,
Tadas Nikonovas,
Kerryn Little ,
Andrew Elliott,
Sarah J. Baker,
Alastair J. Crawford ,
Stefan Doerr ,
Nicholas Kettridge ,
Gareth D. Clay
International Journal of Wildland Fire, Volume: 34, Issue: 8, Start page: WF24123
Swansea University Authors:
Tadas Nikonovas, Stefan Doerr
-
PDF | Version of Record
© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY).
Download (2.57MB)
DOI (Published version): 10.1071/wf24123
Abstract
Background. Fires in temperate dry heaths burn dead and live fuels and are increasing in frequency. Models that describe these fuels and their contribution to fire behaviour is becoming of greater importance. Aims. We sought to identify variations in fuel moisture and flammability in dry heath fuel...
| Published in: | International Journal of Wildland Fire |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1049-8001 1448-5516 |
| Published: |
CSIRO Publishing
2025
|
| Online Access: |
Check full text
|
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70819 |
| Abstract: |
Background. Fires in temperate dry heaths burn dead and live fuels and are increasing in frequency. Models that describe these fuels and their contribution to fire behaviour is becoming of greater importance. Aims. We sought to identify variations in fuel moisture and flammability in dry heath fuel types throughout the year and assess the strength of phenological shifts to influence predicted fire behaviour. Methods. Six plant species from three dry heaths in the United Kingdom (UK) were collected throughout the year, their moisture content and effective heat of combustion measured. Data were used to parameterise a dynamic fuel model and undertake a sensitivity analysis using BehavePlus. Key results. Phenological changes in live fuel moisture had the greatest effect on predicted fire behaviour where variations between late winter–early spring and late spring–summer, led to a four-fold difference in fire rate of spread. Dead fuel moisture had an effect in the summer months but was dampened significantly by phenologically high live fuel moisture content. Conclusions. Phenological drivers of live fuel moisture in temperate shrubland fuels must be included in models that predict fire behaviour. Implications. Using the data presented, models such as BehavePlus can be adapted to include this variability to predict fire behaviour in temperate heathland ecosystems. |
|---|---|
| Keywords: |
fire behaviour, fire ecology, flammability, fuel moisture, heathlands, heat content, heat of combustion, shrub fuels |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
This work has been funded by NERC grant NE/T003553/1 ‘Towards a UK Fire Danger Rating System’. |
| Issue: |
8 |
| Start Page: |
WF24123 |