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International Journal of Wildland Fire International Journal of Wildland Fire Society
Journal of the International Association of Wildland Fire

International Journal of Wildland Fire

International Journal of Wildland Fire

International Journal of Wildland Fire publishes articles on basic and applied aspects of wildland fire science including, but not confined to, ecological impact, modelling fire and its effects, and management of fire. Read more about the journalMore

Editors-in-Chief: Stefan Doerr and Martin Girardin

Publishing Model: Open Access

Download our Journal Metrics (PDF, 719KB)

Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. International Journal of Wildland Fire is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 18 June 2025

WF24210Comparing biomass consumption estimated from point cloud data versus long-wave infrared imagery during prescribed growing season burns in pine woodlands of the southeastern United States

Benjamin C. Bright 0000-0002-8363-0803, Andrew T. Hudak, Nuria Sánchez-López, E. Louise Loudermilk, Christie M. Hawley, Eric Rowell, Joseph J. O’Brien, Steven A. Flanagan 0000-0001-5172-3530, Kevin Robertson, Akira Kato, Chad Hoffman, David R. Weise 0000-0002-9671-7203 and J. Kevin Hiers
 

We demonstrate a new method for combining terrestrial and airborne laser scanning data to estimate fuel consumed by fire and compare how lasers and long-wave infrared imagery estimate consumption. We find that these remote sensing techniques provide comparable consumption estimates and that most fuel consumption occurs on the forest floor.

This article belongs to the collection: Multi-scale measurements in support of improved fire, fuel, and smoke models of landscape-level wildland fires.

Published online 13 June 2025

WF24221Canopy and surface fuels measurement using terrestrial lidar single-scan approach in the Mogollon Highlands of Arizona

Johnathan T. Tenny 0009-0001-3402-3038, Temuulen Tsagaan Sankey, Seth M. Munson, Andrew J. Sánchez Meador and Scott J. Goetz
 

Novel techniques were developed to quickly measure canopy fuel and surface fuel across a range of environmental conditions using a ground-based remote sensing technology. These techniques provide precise, repeatable fuel estimates while minimizing model training requirements.

Published online 13 June 2025

WF24184Between a rock and a hot place: do surface shelters facilitate survivable conditions for small vertebrates during prescribed fire?

Shawn Scott, Brett A Goodman, Joan Gibbs and Sophie Petit
 

Prescribed burning in eucalypt woodlands exposes skinks to lethal temperatures, which are partially remediated by rock and log shelters. Ambient and maximum temperatures were positively associated, and high ambient temperatures increased duration of lethal temperatures. Assessing shelter availability for small vertebrates before prescribed burning should be a conservation priority.

Published online 13 June 2025

WF25022Linking human activities to wildfires in Tsavo Conservation Area: a social-ecological study

Naftal G. Kariuki, David O. Chiawo 0000-0001-7118-6285, Eunice W. Kairu, Jemimah A. Simbauni and Amos C. Muthiuru 0000-0002-3367-2562
 

This study explores the association between human activities and wildfire occurrences in the Tsavo Conservation Area. Statistical methods (ANOVA, chi-square and Kendall’s tests), were applied for data analysis. Chyulu Hill National Park experienced the highest frequency of wildfires, and eleven human activities were pinpointed as contributing factors.

This research provides a deeper understanding of the activities and hazards associated with severe injuries to wildland firefighters in the United States. Injuries associated with aviation activities result in particularly severe outcomes. Fire complexity was not associated with differences in severity outcomes.

Published online 11 June 2025

WF24174Decadal scale fire dynamics in savannas and forests of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India

Pradyumna Rajashekar, Aparna Krishnan, Varun Varma 0000-0002-0289-6125, Jayashree Ratnam 0000-0002-6568-8374, Mahesh Sankaran 0000-0002-1661-6542 and Caroline E. R. Lehmann 0000-0002-6825-124X
 

Climate, vegetation type and human activity collectively shape fire regimes in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats, India. Across this landscape, savannas burn more frequently and over larger areas than forests. Overall, fire activity is largely determined by rainfall in dry periods, but by human activity in wet periods.

This article belongs to the collection: Savanna burning.

The findings show that two nearby firebrands in tandem arrangement under wind conditions can have a significant cooperative ignition effect on the fuel bed. A semi-empirical correlation for the ignition delay time of the fuel bed based on the energy balance concept is in good agreement with the experimental data.

Published online 30 May 2025

WF24079Remotely sensed vegetation phenology drives large fire spread in northwestern Europe

Tomás Quiñones 0009-0006-8821-1364, Cathelijne Stoof 0000-0002-0198-9215, Fiona Newman-Thacker, Adrián Jiménez, Fernando Bezares, Joaquín Ramírez and Adrián Cardil
 

High greenness is related to low spread rates, and fires spreading in the growing season showed a drastic reduction in spread. High risk related to common fire weather ratings was associated with low ROS.

Collaboration is often needed in complex emergencies like wildfires, but diverse interests can also cause conflict. This study examines how differences tied to organizational roles affected collaboration during 15 US wildfires. Findings highlight when these differences matter most and offer ideas for improving cooperation in complex disaster settings.

Published online 26 May 2025

WF24163Mobile radar provides insights into hydrologic responses in burn areas

Jonathan J. Gourley 0000-0001-7363-3755, Yagmur Derin, Pierre-Emmanuel Kirstetter, John W. Fulton, Laura A. Hempel and Braden White
 

Experimental instruments were placed in a burnt area and captured rainfall and extreme hydrologic responses, which is a challenging endeavor with conventional observing networks. Rainfall estimation from a mobile weather radar was shown to be as accurate as rain gauges, with the ability to resolve spatial rainfall fields.

This article belongs to the collection: Establishing Directions in Postfire Debris-Flow Science.

Published online 26 May 2025

WF25021Review of thermal behaviour of firebrands and their role in fuel bed and structure ignition

Osman Eissa, Alexander I. Filkov 0000-0001-5927-9083 and Maryam Ghodrat 0000-0003-4009-5262
 

This article provides a comprehensive review of firebrands’ thermal behaviour, their interaction with natural fuels and structures and their role in spotting. It analyses parameters such as temperature and heat flux, explores key influencing factors, identifies knowledge gaps and proposes future research directions for enhanced wildfire mitigation.

Published online 21 May 2025

WF24062Linking fire radiative power to land cover, fire history, and environmental setting in Alaska, 2003–2022

Jessica J. Walker 0000-0002-3225-0317, Rachel A. Loehman, Britt W. Smith and Christopher E. Soulard
 

This study investigated how fire intensity (fire radiative power, FRP) relates to vegetation type and environment in Alaska, USA. Fire intensity varied significantly by plant functional group, with forests generally higher than tundra or peatland. Fire history was less important than location and topography for determining FRP across all groups.

Published online 01 May 2025

WF24224Nationally consistent mapping of wildland fuel types across Australia using satellite-derived vegetation structural data

Rakesh C. Joshi, Miguel G. Cruz 0000-0003-3311-7582 and Randall J. Donohue
 

We developed an automated and nationally consistent method that generates up-to-date fuel type layers relevant to a range of fire management applications in Australia, such as fire behaviour prediction, fire danger forecasting and risk assessment.

Published online 01 May 2025

WF24168Non-additive effects on plant mixtures flammability in a tropical mountain ecosystem

Helena Roland 0000-0003-4838-7403, Ilaíne Silveira Matos, Bruno H. P. Rosado and Imma Oliveras Menor
 

We examined how species identity and functional traits affect biomass consumed by fire in species mixtures in Brazil’s tropical mountain grasslands, using small samples burned in a laboratory. Species identity and traits like specific leaf area significantly influence biomass burned, helping to predict fire severity under climate change.


Photographs of a single plot with riparian vegetation taken pre-burn, right post-burn, 3 months and 9 months post-burn.

Fire is a largely untested method for controlling invasive exotic plant species in riparian systems. We measured low intensity burn temperatures and tested their effectiveness for weed control as part of an integrated weed management plan. Fire is cost-effective and works at scale, but follow-up interventions are needed within a 3-month window. Photograph by Elisha Duxbury.

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