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Propagation probability and spread rate of self-sustained smouldering fires under controlled moisture content and bulk density conditions
Date Issued
03 March 2016
Date Available
22T13:48:21Z April 2016
Abstract
The consumption of large areas of peat during wildfires is due to self-sustained smouldering fronts that can remain active for weeks. We studied the effect of peat moisture content and bulk density on the horizontal propagation of smouldering fire in laboratory-scale experiments. We used milled peat with moisture contents between 25 and 250% (mass of water per mass of dry peat) and bulk densities between 50 and 150 kg m–3. An infrared camera monitored ignition, spread and extinction of each smouldering combustion front. Peats with a bulk density below 75 kg m–3 and a moisture content below 150% self-sustained smouldering propagation for more than 12 cm. Peat with a bulk density of 150 kg m–3 could self-sustain smouldering propagation up to a critical moisture content of 115%. A linear model estimated that increasing both moisture content and bulk density significantly reduced the median fire spread rate (which ranged between 1 and 5 cm h–1). Moisture content had a stronger effect size on the spread rate than bulk density. However, the effect of bulk density on spread rate depends upon the moisture content, with the largest effect of bulk density at low moisture contents.
Sponsorship
European Commission - European Regional Development Fund
European Research Council
Higher Education Authority
Type of Material
Journal Article
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Journal
International Journal of Wildland Fire
Volume
25
Issue
4
Start Page
456
End Page
465
Copyright (Published Version)
2016 IAWF
Language
English
Status of Item
Peer reviewed
This item is made available under a Creative Commons License
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Owning collection
Scopus© citations
56
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