The Application of FARSITE for Assessing a Mechanical Fuel Treatment in the Eastern Sierra Nevada
نویسندگان
چکیده
FARSITE fire area simulator was used to test the effectiveness of a small mechanical fuel treatment in a bitterbrush/sagebrush shrubland in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Custom fuel models were created for input into FARSITE using a combination of data obtained from the Southwestern Fuels Photo Series and fuels data collected at the study site for treated and untreated areas. Fuels data were calibrated to expected fire behavior by running simulations in Behave Plus 4.4b. The resultant custom fuel model map combined with other GIS data necessary for FARSITE were used to simulate fire with moderate, high, and extreme weather parameters. Results showed a decrease of fire intensity, rate of spread, flame lengths, reaction intensity, and heat per unit area as the fire transitioned from an untreated to a treated fuel bed. These methods and results are important in displaying the potential benefits of fuel treatments adjacent to wildland urban areas and building support for small area fuel treatments.
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