Estimation of Fuel Loads and Fire Behavior

Pre-fire fuel measurement in a the Tall Timbers Fire Plots (Stoddard Plots). Photo by Kevin Robertson.

Studying predictors of forest fuel loading and fire behavior is key to both understanding natural ecological processes and predicting wildfire danger. Research in the Fire Ecology Program has focused on the effects of fire frequency, management history, and pine tree stocking on fuel accumulation and associated fire behavior in southeastern U.S. pinelands. These data are provided to agencies that develop user-friendly computer models that predict fuel loads, fire behavior, and smoke emissions to assist in fire management planning and incident response. These data are also important for understanding plant productivity and carbon cycling on pineland landscapes. Research projects are conducted on the Tall Timbers Stoddard Fire Plots, Wade Tract Preserve, and Pebble Hill Fire Plots.

References:

Robertson, K.M. and T.E. Ostertag. 2006. Effects of land use on fuel characteristics and fire behavior in pinelands of southwest Georgia. Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference Proceedings 23:181-191.

Robertson, K.M. and T.E. Ostertag. 2003. Fuel characteristics and fire behavior predictions in native and old-field pinelands in the Red Hills Region, southwest Georgia. Proceedings of the 2nd International Wildland Fire and Fire Management Congress, Orlando, FL.

Robertson, K.M. 2004. Pineland fuels and hardwood resprout mortality. Covey Rise 1:(11)14.

Robertson, K.M. and T.E. Ostertag. 2009. Biomass equations for hardwood resprouts in fire-maintained pinelands in the southeastern U.S. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, 33:121-128.

Reid, A.M. and K.M. Robertson. 2011. Energy content of common fuels in upland pine forests of the southeastern U.S. and their application to fire behavior modeling. International Journal of Wildland Fire In Press.

Tall Timbers Research Notes and E-News Articles: