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Document
Type: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2014
When a fire in a conifer forest stand crowns, additional fuel is consumed primarily in the form of needle foliage but also in mosses and lichens, bark flakes, and small woody twigs. The additional canopy fuel consumed by a crown fire combined with the increase in rate of fire spread after crowning can easily lead to the quadrupling of fireline intensity and, in turn, a dramatic increase in flame size within a few seconds (for example: from 800 to 3,200 British thermal units/second-foot [Btu/sec-ft]). Spotting activity can also very quickly increase in both density and distance. in such cases, there is little wonder why crown fires just seem to literally 'blow up' (Byram 1959).
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Link to the individual article (372 KB; pdf)
Citation: Alexander, Martin E.; Cruz, Miguel G. 2014. Energy release rates, flame dimensions, and spotting characteristics of crown fires. Fire Management Today 73(4):24-27.
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Topics:
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Keywords:
- coniferous forests
- crown fires
- energy
- energy release rate
- fire intensity
- fire management
- flame front
- flame length
- forest management
- rate of spread
- spot fires
- spotting
- surface fires
- wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 29879 • Location Status: In-file • Call Number: A13.32:73/4 • Abstract Status: Fair use, Okay, Reproduced by permission
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Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 17772
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