A review of wildland fire spread modelling, 1990-present 2: Empirical and quasi-empirical models

In recent years, advances in computational power and spatial data analysis (GIS, remote sensing, etc) have led to an increase in attempts to model the spread and behaviour of wildland fires across the landscape. This series of review papers endeavours to critically and comprehensively review all types of surface fire spread models developed since 1990. This paper reviews models of an empirical or quasi-empirical nature. These models are based solely on the statistical analysis of experimentally obtained data with or without some physical framework for the basis of the relations. Other papers in the series review models of a physical or quasi-physical nature, and mathematical analogues and simulation models. The main relations of empirical models are that of wind speed and fuel moisture content with rate of forward spread. Comparisons are made of the different functional relationships selected by various authors for these variables.Comment: 22 pages + 7 pages references + 2 pages tables + 2 pages figures. Submitted to International Journal of Wildland Fir

Measuring fire weather and forest inflammability

In the measurement of fire weather and forest inflammability, now practiced regularly at more than 90 forest stations in northern Idaho and western Montana, it is necessary to use many methods that are peculiar to this work. Some of these methods are familiar to meteorologists, but few foresters have had any appreciable training in meteorology. Others are of such, recent development and so specially designed for forest protection that they are unknown to most meteorologists and are not yet taught in the schools of forestry or described in any textbooks. The information available on these methods is scattered through numerous bulletins, reports, and official letters of instruction. Much of this information is assembled in this circular for more convenient reference. It has been prepared specifically for use in the Northern Rocky Mountain Region; but much of the material presented may be of value in other regions. The sole purpose of the weather and inflammability measurements described herein is to improve forest-fire control. Nearly every measurement described has been found by experience to contribute toward this purpose; the remainder are being tested on a large scale to determine whether or not they are worth while. Every method of the latter group has been tried experimentally over a period of years, at the Priest River, Idaho, branch of the Northern Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. The wood-cylinder method of measuring fuel moisture, for example, was developed and tested at Priest River over a period of 7 years before the station advocated that it be tried on a large scale in routine field practice. Field tests are essential because they often show possibilities of improvement in either technique or application that cannot be discovered in more limited experimentation.Gerald W. Williams Collectio

A review of wildland fire spread modelling, 1990-present, 1: Physical and quasi-physical models

In recent years, advances in computational power and spatial data analysis (GIS, remote sensing, etc) have led to an increase in attempts to model the spread and behaviour of wildland fires across the landscape. This series of review papers endeavours to critically and comprehensively review all types of surface fire spread models developed since 1990. This paper reviews models of a physical or quasi-physical nature. These models are based on the fundamental chemistry and/or physics of combustion and fire spread. Other papers in the series review models of an empirical or quasi-empirical nature, and mathematical analogues and simulation models. Many models are extensions or refinements of models developed before 1990. Where this is the case, these models are also discussed but much less comprehensively.Comment: 31 pages + 8 pages references + 2 figures + 5 tables. Submitted to International Journal of Wildland Fir

Essays on agriculture.

Mode of access: Internet

Poems, Sacred and Moral.

Mode of access: Internet

Set of weed cylinders and a duff hygrometer properly set beneath a standard screen

Measurement of duff and wood moisture at many stations must be made under the same amount of shade if they are to be accurately comparable. A wire screen is provided to all stations so that this shade may be the same at all of them. This photo shows a set of weed cylinders and a duff hygrometer properly set beneath a standard screen

A series of snow scenes [01]

A series of snow scenes with notes by Gisborne expressing his dissatisfaction with building design, landscaping, drainage, and lost time shoveling roofs

Memo from Gisborne to Director Tebbe [01]

Memo from Gisborne to Director Tebbe and note to Wellner describing Gisborne's frustration with architects, snow, and inconsistent photo history of Priest Creek Experimental Forest

A series of snow scenes [03]

A series of snow scenes with notes by Gisborne expressing his dissatisfaction with building design, landscaping, drainage, and lost time shoveling roofs