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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 15(3)

Ignition of mulch and grasses by firebrands in wildland–urban interface fires*

Samuel L. Manzello A B , Thomas G. Cleary A , John R. Shields A and Jiann C. Yang A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8662, USA.

B Corresponding author. Email: samuel.manzello@nist.gov

International Journal of Wildland Fire 15(3) 427-431 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF06031
Submitted: 8 March 2006  Accepted: 7 June 2006   Published: 5 September 2006

Abstract

Firebrands or embers are produced as trees and structures burn in wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires. It is believed that firebrand showers created in WUI fires may ignite vegetation and mulch located near homes and structures. This, in turn, may lead to ignition of homes and structures due to burning vegetation and mulch. Understanding the ignition events that are due to firebrands is important to mitigate fire spread in communities. To assess the ignition propensity of such materials, simulated firebrands of uniform geometry, but in two different sizes, were allowed to impinge on fuel beds of shredded hardwood mulch, pine straw mulch, and cut grass. The moisture content of these materials was varied. Firebrands were suspended and ignited within the test cell of the Fire Emulator/Detector Evaluator (FE/DE) apparatus. The FE/DE was used to investigate the influence of an air flow on the ignition propensity of a fuel bed. Ignition regime maps were generated for each material tested as a function of impacting firebrand size, number of deposited firebrands, air flow, and material moisture content.

Additional keywords: fuel beds.


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* Official contribution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, not subject to copyright in the USA.