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40 Scott and Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models

This recently developed set of standard fire behavior fuel models contains more fuel models in every fuel type (grass, shrub, timber, slash) than does Anderson's set of 13 fuel models. The main objective in creating these new models was to increase the ability to illustrate the effects of fuel treatments using fire behavior modeling. The number of fuel models for use in areas where fire tends to burn well at relatively high dead fuel moisture content has been increased, and fuel models with an herbaceous component are now dynamic fuel models, meaning that load is dynamically shifted between live and dead (to simulate curing of the herbaceous component) rather than assumed to be constant.

These fire behavior fuel models can serve as input to the FARSITE fire growth simulation model (Finney 1998), FlamMap fire potential simulator (Stratton 2004), BehavePlus fire behavior model (Andrews and others 2005), NEXUS crown fire potential model (Scott 2003), and FFE-FVS forest stand simulator (Reinhardt and Crookston 2003). Nomographs for estimating fire behavior using the new fuel models without the use of a computer are now available via Rocky Mountain Research Station Publications. Further detail about these 40 fire behavior fuel models can be found in Scott and Burgan (2005).

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Andrews, P. L., C. D. Bevins, R. C. Seli. 2005. BehavePlus fire modeling system, version 3.0: User's Guide. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-106WWW. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Ogden, UT. 142 p.

Finney, M. A. 1998. FARSITE: Fire Area Simulator-model development and evaluation. Res. Pap. RMRS-RP-4, Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 47 p.

Reinhardt, E. and N. L. Crookston, (Technical Editors). 2003. The Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator. General. Technical. Report. RMRS-GTR-116. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Ogden, UT. 209 p.

Scott, J. H. 2003. Canopy fuel treatment standards for the wildland-urban interface. In: " Fire, fuel treatments, and ecological restoration: conference proceedings; 2002 April 16-18; Fort Collins, CO. Omi, Philip N.; Joyce, Linda A., tech. eds. 2003. Proceedings RMRS-P-29. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, pp. 29-37.

Scott, J. H. and R. E. Burgan. 2005. Standard fire behavior fuel models: a comprehensive set for use with Rothermel’s surface fire spread model. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-153.Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 72 p.

Stratton, R. D. 2004. Assessing the Effectiveness of Landscape Fuel Treatments on Fire Growth and Behavior. Journal of Forestry 102(7): 32-40.