Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration Forest Structure and Fire Hazard
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Transcript of Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration Forest Structure and Fire Hazard
Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration
Forest Structure and Fire Hazard
Dave Peterson & Morris JohnsonPNW Research Station
Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Lab
Objectives
• Synthesize and publish scientific knowledge and principles about how modifications of forest structure affect fire hazard and fire behavior.
• Develop quantitative guidelines for how silvicultural prescriptions affect fire hazard and fire behavior – guide for representative forest types of the western U.S.
Application: Assist the NEPA process, planning, and decision making primarily at the scale of forest stands.
Linkage: Provide input for economic and ecological analyses.
Representative Stands
• Selected Forest Types– Ponderosa Pine– Mixed Conifer– Pinyon-Juniper– Lodgepole Pine
• Stand Exams
• FIA FVS Ready
Silvicultural Treatments
• No action• Thin from below < 9 inches DBH• Thin from below to target stand density• Thin to target stand density proportional• Thin from below to fire resilient conditions
– 75th percentile fire weather– 98th percentile fire weather
Surface Fuel Treatments
• No Surface Fuel Treatment
• Whole Tree Harvest
• Target Residual Surface Fuels (mechanical and/or fire)
Example Stand
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Treatment 3
Treatment 4a
Treatment 4b
No Surface Treatment
Whole Tree Harvest
Target Residual Surface Fuels (mechanical and/or fire)
Stand 060101019710380
Analysis Tools• Forest Vegetation
Simulator-Fire and Fuels Extension (FVS-FFE)
• Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS)
• EnVision Software
Fuel Treatment GuidebookModifying Forest Structure to Reduce Fire Hazard: A Guidebook for NEPA Analysis
• Qualitative– Pre & Post Treatment EnVision Images
• Quantitative– Stand Attributes– Fuel Loadings– Flame Length– Torching Index– Type of Fire
Initial Stand Condition
Thin from below <9 inches DBH
Thin from below to fire resilient conditionsThin to target stand density proportionally
Thin from below to target stand density
Guidebook outputsForest stand data• Trees per acre• QMD• Basal area• Stand density index• Volume (incl. merchantable)• Crown closure• Crown competition factor• Canopy base height• Canopy bulk density
Projected 50 years forward in time at 5-year increments
Guidebook outputsFuelbed and fire behavior data
• Surface fuel loadings (0-3 in., 3-6 in., litter, duff)• Flame length• Torching index• Crowning index• Fire type (surface, passive & active crown fire)• Potential tree (basal area) mortality• FCCS fire potential
Projected 50 years forward in time at 5-year increments
Cooperative work: PNW – R6 – SOROOverarching objective• Provide the scientific basis and technical support to strategic plans for
fuel/vegetation treatments on national forests.
• Assist planning for spatial and temporal pattern of treatments.
Scientific approach and productsScientific and technical support will focus on:
• Developing a decision process for planning fuel/vegetation treatments.
• Improving the quality of fuel/vegetation data bases of national forest landscapes fuels mapping.
• Developing a long-term monitoring approach for documenting and evaluating fuel/vegetation treatments.