Fuel Types and Fire Behavior of Eastern Oak Forests
Event Website
http://www.nafew2009.org/
Start Date
6-25-2009 8:40 AM
End Date
6-25-2009 9:00 AM
Description
Forest managers using prescribed fire to sustain and restore eastern oak forests often confront two or more dissimilar fuel types within the same stand or landscape. This fuel bed heterogeneity creates planning and operational problems because of drastic changes in fire behavior and vegetative response. This talk presents preliminary information from an ongoing fire study examining common fuel types of oak forests, their fire behavior, and the post fire vegetative response. Cluster analysis identified six dissimilar fuel types (2 leaf litter, 2 shrub, 2 slash) common to eastern oak forests and measured fire behavior revealed distinct fire behavior for each type. Between the two litter types, oak stands transitioning to mixed mesophytic or northern hardwood species displayed less intense fire behavior than those lacking these species. Both shrub types burned hotter and longer than either of the litter types with mountain laurel exhibiting more intense fire behavior than blueberry. Slash fuels displayed the most intensity with oak clearcuts burning hotter than oak shelterwoods. Forest managers burning oak stands needs to match the fuel type with the appropriate weather conditions to ensure safe, successful prescribed burns.
Fuel Types and Fire Behavior of Eastern Oak Forests
Forest managers using prescribed fire to sustain and restore eastern oak forests often confront two or more dissimilar fuel types within the same stand or landscape. This fuel bed heterogeneity creates planning and operational problems because of drastic changes in fire behavior and vegetative response. This talk presents preliminary information from an ongoing fire study examining common fuel types of oak forests, their fire behavior, and the post fire vegetative response. Cluster analysis identified six dissimilar fuel types (2 leaf litter, 2 shrub, 2 slash) common to eastern oak forests and measured fire behavior revealed distinct fire behavior for each type. Between the two litter types, oak stands transitioning to mixed mesophytic or northern hardwood species displayed less intense fire behavior than those lacking these species. Both shrub types burned hotter and longer than either of the litter types with mountain laurel exhibiting more intense fire behavior than blueberry. Slash fuels displayed the most intensity with oak clearcuts burning hotter than oak shelterwoods. Forest managers burning oak stands needs to match the fuel type with the appropriate weather conditions to ensure safe, successful prescribed burns.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/nafecology/sessions/fuel/5