Quantifying the effect of mastication on flaming and smouldering durations in eucalypt forests and woodlands under laboratory conditions
J. G. Cawson
A C , B. Pickering A , T. D. Penman B and A. Filkov B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Burnley, Vic. 3121, Australia.
B School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, Vic. 3363, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: jane.cawson@unimelb.edu.au
International Journal of Wildland Fire 30(8) 611-624 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20157
Submitted: 25 September 2020 Accepted: 27 April 2021 Published: 19 May 2021
Abstract
Mechanical mastication is growing in popularity as a wildfire mitigation technique. Yet few studies quantify its effects on fire behaviour. Such information is needed by fire managers to evaluate its efficacy. Our aim was to develop an understanding of how mastication alters flaming and smouldering durations and the longevity of any effects. Flaming and smouldering duration are important determinants of soil heating and smoke emissions. We used a paired sampling design, collecting litter bed (hereafter surface fuel) samples from 15 sites with masticated and untreated vegetation in shrub-encroached Eucalyptus woodlands. We measured a range of fuel bed properties and then burnt the samples in the laboratory. Average smouldering durations increased 88% from 25 to 47 min in untreated v. masticated fuel; flaming durations increased 100% from 6 to 12 min. These changes were attributable to higher fine and coarse fuel loads in the masticated fuel bed. However, fine and coarse fuel load declined significantly over 4 years, meaning the effects of mastication on combustion duration are likely to be short-lived. Despite being a laboratory study, the results assist with evaluating mastication as a fuel treatment by demonstrating the potential magnitude of changes to flaming and smouldering duration.
Keywords: field sampling, fire behaviour, fire management, flaming, fuel reduction, laboratory experiment, mastication, mulching, smouldering.
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