Testing the Effect of Fuel Consumption on Fire Spread Rate

Abstract

It has been theorized that the amount of fuel involved in a fire front can influence the rate of spread of the fire. Three data sets are examined in an attempt to prove this relationship. The first, a Canadian Forest Service database of over 400 experimental, wild, and prescribed fires showed a weak relationship in some fuel complexes. The second, a series of field experimental fires conducted to isolate the relationship, showed a small effect. The final data set, from a series of 47 small plots (3m x 3m) burned with a variety of fuel loadings, also show a weak relationship. While a relationship was shown to exist, it is debatable whether it should be included in a fire behavior prediction system. Inherent errors associated with predicting fuel consumption can be compounded, causing additional, more critical, errors with the derived fire spread rate.