Outdoor Experimental Fires in Portugal

Hermínio BotelhoDepartamento Florestal, UTAD

Vila Real

FIRE STAR Conclusive Symposium, March 18 2005, UNIMECA, Marseille

General objective of the experimental fires:to get data to validate the fire behaviour model

under predefined fuel scenarios

Outdoor Experimental Fires in Portugal (1)

UTAD fuel scenarios with experimental burns:

Erica – Chamaespartiumgarrigue

Pinus pinaster adultpure stand

Outdoor Experimental Fires in Portugal (2)

Pinus pinaster adult pure stand

Burning conditions:

No-slopeweak to moderate wind speedvery low moisture content

Different fuel conditions

Outdoor Experimental Fires in Portugal (3)

Different fuel conditions = different fire behaviour & severity

RX13 and URX3 and RX2

Erica – Chamaespartium garrigue

Outdoor Experimental Fires in Portugal (4)

Burning conditions:

Moderate slopeWeak wind speedLow moisture contentYoung stand dominated by live fuel

Six experimental fires in May 2003

Outdoor Experimental Fires in Portugal (4)

Fire behaviour variation dominated by wind speed, with a minor slope influence

Win

d @

2 m

Rate of spread