Fuel consumption models for pine flatwoods fuel types in the southeastern United States

Abstract

Modeling fire effects, including terrestrial and atmospheric carbon fluxes and pollutant emissions during wildland fires, requires accurate predictions of fuel consumption. Empirical models were developed for predicting fuel consumption from fuel and environmental measurements on a series of operational prescribed fires in pine flatwoods ecosystems in the southeastern United States. The models predicted fuel consumption more accurately than the decision support tools First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM) and Consume and will allow fire and fuels managers in the region to belter estimate fuel consumption and air quality impacts from prescribed burning.