EARTHSC 2GG3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Coconino National Forest, Wind Chill, Blowing Snow
1 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
Fire process and behaviour: wildland fires are natural part of forest evolution, they benefit ecosystems by thinning forests; reducing understory fuel; permitting growth of different species and age groups of trees. Fuel: fire requires three components: fuel, oxygen, heat, the type of fuel available, its distribution and moisture content determine how quickly fire ignites and spreads, heat provided by lightning, spark, accident, deliberate, or transfer from fire. Surface fires: surface fires spread along the ground, fueled by grasses and low shrubs, vegetation with a large relative surface area accelerates ignition and burning, heavy fuels with small surface area ignite with difficulty and burn slowly. Ladder fuel: ladder fuels are low brush and branches which allow fire to climb into higher treetops, dense ladder fuels in glacier national park, montana, ladder fuels permit wildfire to climb into the trees; yellowstone park fire, 1988. Crown fire: crown fire burns through treetops with incredible speed and heat.
