Fuels and fire hazard in blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) stands in Portugal
Fast-growing, short-rotation forest plantations in Mediterranean-type ecosystems are vulnerable to wildfire. This study quantifies fuel characteristics over a wide range of stand characteristics in blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) stands in Portugal, namely fuel loading by size class and fuel layer an...
| Autores: | , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2011 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad de Huelva (UHU) |
| Repositorio: | Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva |
| Idioma: | español |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ariasmontano.uhu.es:10272/5519 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10272/5519 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Fuel inventory Fire behaviour Fire simulation Inventario de combustibles Comportamiento del fuego Simulación de incendios |
| Sumario: | Fast-growing, short-rotation forest plantations in Mediterranean-type ecosystems are vulnerable to wildfire. This study quantifies fuel characteristics over a wide range of stand characteristics in blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) stands in Portugal, namely fuel loading by size class and fuel layer and bulk density. We combined destructive and non– destructive methods to estimate fuel loadings in both natural and activity (logging slash) fuels, and then built fuel models to predict fire behaviour characteristics. Classification of National Forest Inventory blue gum plots by fuel model showed that high-intensity fire threatens approximately half of the plots. Fire modelling indicates that wildfire control operations are made effective by treating hazardous fuels in these plantations, even under extreme weather conditions. Stand management against wildfire can greatly benefit from fuel and fire modelling. |
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