Welcome to the latest contents for the International Journal of Wildland Fire. IJWF content is free to IAWF Members. All journal content can be accessed by IAWF members through the IAWF Members-Only site.
This issue’s Editor–choice open access paper focuses on air quality in two continents.
Volume 26(5) 2017
Air quality policy and fire management responses addressing smoke from wildland fires in the United States and Australia (Editor-Choice Open Access)
Joshua C. Hyde, Kara M. Yedinak, Alan F. Talhelm, Alistair M. S. Smith, David M. J. S. Bowman, Fay H. Johnston, Peter Lahm, Mark Fitch and Wade T. Tinkham
This paper presents a review of air quality and smoke management policies in the United States with comparisons with Australia. It discusses how the air quality regulatory framework affects wildland fire management. To be most effective, the smoke regulatory framework and fire management policy must keep pace with scientific advances as well as environmental and social change.
A multi-region analysis of factors that influence public acceptance of smoke from different fire sources
Christine S. Olsen, Eric Toman and Stacey Frederick
We explore public acceptance of smoke from several types of fires. We found the public is generally accepting of smoke, but acceptance varies by fire type. A sizable minority does not accept smoke. Perceptions of smoke-related health and non-health risks influenced acceptance of smoke from all fire types.
Utilising scientific information to support resilient forest and fire management
Melanie M. Colavito
Fostering resilience in forest and fire management presents opportunities for scientists, managers and other constituents to work together to develop actionable scientific information. However, utilising scientific information in decision-making can be challenging. An assessment of scientific information application, development and communication was conducted, and recommendations for connecting science and decision-making are provided.
Improved fuel moisture prediction in non-native tropical Megathyrsus maximus grasslands using Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived vegetation indices
L. M. Ellsworth, A. P. Dale, C. M. Litton and T. Miura
We developed MODIS-based models to predict live and dead fuel moisture for invasive tropical grasslands. Predictive models outperformed the commonly used National Fire Danger Rating System and the Keetch–Byram Drought Index. MODIS-based models will improve fire management in tropical ecosystems dominated by this widespread and problematic non-native grass.
Incorporating fine-scale drought information into an eastern US wildfire hazard model
Matthew P. Peters and Louis R. Iverson
An eastern United States wildfire hazard model updated with finer-resolution drought occurrence data is evaluated to determine if information is gained from the more detailed data. Inclusion of newer drought data shifted its contribution among monthly models to wildland–urban interface information. This refinement has removed the influence of climate division data.
A probability model for long-term forest fire occurrence in the Karst forest management area of Slovenia
Tomaž Šturm and Tomaž Podobnikar
We built a long-term forest fire occurrence probability model in the Karst forest management area (Slovenia) and developed spatial statistics methods using variables based on datasets of forest management plans, land use and forest fire activity. The resulting forest fire occurrence probability depends on the stands structure, species composition and the topographic parameters.
Modelling the rate of fire spread and uncertainty associated with the onset and propagation of crown fires in conifer forest stands
This paper examines the application of a Monte Carlo ensemble method for predicting surface fire characteristics and crowning potential (e.g. onset of crowning, type of crown fire and associated spread rate) in comparison with a deterministic one for a radiata pine (Pinus radiata) plantation fuel complex. The outputs of both approaches are assessed against data obtained from a wildfire case study
Does season affect fire behaviour in the Cerrado?
Mariana Ninno Rissi, M. Jaime Baeza, Elizabeth Gorgone-Barbosa, Talita Zupo and Alessandra Fidelis
We compared fire behaviour in different fire seasons in areas of open savanna, aiming to understand fire behaviour and to provide information to control fuel and avoid wildfires.
Fly and wasp diversity responds to elements of both the visible and invisible fire mosaic
Julian Brown and Alan York
Patch mosaic burning aims to create landscape mosaics of varying fire ages to cater for the needs of a diversity of species, but empirical studies often fail to support this notion. Mosaics of other fire regime components such as fire frequency are thought to be important but their effects have not been tested empirically. We present empirical evidence that fly and wasp species richness responds to both kinds of fire mosaic.
Higher sensitivity and lower specificity in post-fire mortality model validation of 11 western US tree species
Jeffrey M. Kane, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Laura B. Lalemand and MaryBeth Keifer
This study uses an independent dataset from prescribed fire monitoring plots to validate a commonly used post-fire tree mortality model. Findings indicate that model performance was generally good but tended to consistently overpredict mortality in thin-barked species and size classes. Overpredicting mortality may have the unintended consequence of not meeting desired reductions in small tree density that is a common goal with prescribed fire treatments
