National Fire Behaviour Presiction System

File attachment: 
TitleNational Fire Behaviour Presiction System
Publication TypeConference Paper
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsCruz, MG, Gould, JS
Conference NameBiennial Conference of the Institute of Foresters of Australia, Caloundra, 2009
Date Published2010
PublisherIFA
Conference LocationCaloundra
AbstractThe estimation of fire behaviour is an important component of any fire management approach, allowing the determination of the impacts of fire on ecosystem components and supporting forest fire management decision-making. Fire behaviour prediction combines quantitative and qualitative information based on experience and scientific principles of describing the combustion and behaviour of fire influence by topography, weather and fuel. Predictions are based on mathematical models that integrate important factors in a consistent way. The National Fire Behaviour Prediction (NFBP) system will consist of four primary components (fuel models, fuel moisture models, wind models, and fire behaviour models) to predict fire characteristics (e.g., rate of spread, flame height, fireline intensity, onset of crowning spotting potential, etc). This paper will focus on the fire behaviour component of the NFBP system. This component integrates a suite of models covering the main fuel types of Australia, eucalyptus forests, exotic pine plantations, grasslands, shrublands and Mallee-heath. The desired accomplishments of the proposed National Fire Behaviour Prediction Systems is to provide fire managers with better operating models to implement prescribed burning programs, suppression resources, risk and biodiversity management programs. The fuel type specificity of the fire models, its greater accuracy and updated calculation methods allow also for more accurate simulations of the impact of hypothetical climate change scenarios on fire potential and risk in Australia.
Refereed DesignationRefereed