Modifying Fuel Moistures for Fire Behavior Analysts

For BFB & STFB, NTFB and FSPro analyses, Fire Behavior Specialists can modify the default fuel moistures for the fuel models on the landscape. Default dead fuel moisture are calculated using the standard NFDRS algorithms as implemented in WIMS and FireFamily Plus. Default live herbaceous and woody fuel moistures are calculated using the Growing Season Index (GSI). For all analyses, dead fuel moisture is set to default NFDRS values for each cell on the landscape. When you use conditioning, dead fuel moisture is conditioned over time for each cell. Conditioning occurs up until the analysis start date for BFB and STFB. In NTFB, conditioning occurs until ignition, and then dead fuel moisture values continue to adjust throughout the analysis. No conditioning is used for FSPro. In most instances, you will not need to make changes to dead fuel moistures, but they should always be verified and adjusted if needed or another station investigated for use.

Live fuel moisture defaults generated by GSI are generally closer to reality than those produced by the NFDRS system. These values, however, are simply calculations to be used as a starting point and a surrogate value in the absence of known measured and sampled inputs. Live fuel moisture defaults should be evaluated and adjusted against measured values and observed fire activity as appropriate.

Live fuel moistures do not change during conditioning and as a result, the fuel moistures shown are exactly what is used to calculate fire behavior: live fuel moisture values for all analyses are static across the landscape. Live fuel moisture values are important because the values used for an analysis determine the level of curing and the fraction of live fuel load that transfers to the 1-hour dead fuel for any dynamic fuel models on your landscape if using the Scott-Burgan 40 fuel models. The load transfer has a corresponding effect on fire behavior characteristics and in some cases, the change is dramatic.

For additional, model-specific information, click a link below:

• Modifying Foliar Moisture Content (BFB, STFB, NTFB)
• Modifying Initial Fuel Moistures (BFB & STFB, NTFB)
• Modifying Fuel Moistures (FSPro)

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Last updated on 6/25/2019 1:33:25 PM.

In This Section Analysis for Fire Behavior Specialists Modifying Foliar Moisture Content (BFB & STFB, NTFB) Modifying Initial Fuel Moisture (BFB & STFB, NTFB) Modifying Fuel Moisture (FSPro)

See Also Viewing Fire Behavior Request Details Accepting or Refusing an Analysis Request Granting Analysis Privileges Downloading a RAWS KMZ File Analysis Notes About Analysis Shape Files (STFB, NTFB, FSPro) Drawing a Landscape Extent Creating a Landscape Editor Rule Importing Landscape Editor Rules Creating the Landscape File Downloading an LCP File Editing the Landscape File Modifying Landscape File Parameters Viewing the Landscape for an Analysis Generating a Landscape Critique Downloading a Landscape Critique Basic Fire Behavior (BFB) Running a Basic Fire Behavior (BFB) Analysis Copying an Existing Basic Fire Behavior Analysis Analyst_Assisted Short Term Fire Behavior (STFB) Running a Short-Term Fire Behavior (STFB) Analysis Copying an Existing Short-Term Fire Behavior Analysis Near-Term Fire Behavior (NTFB) Running a Near-Term Fire Behavior Analysis (NTFB) Setting Up Burn Periods for NTFB Using Gridded Winds (BFB, STFB) Modifying Wind Information (BFB, STFB) About Weather Station Information (BFB & STFB, NTFB, FSPro) About FWX Weather Files Downloading FWX Weather Files (FSPro) Weather Station Availability for Fire Behavior Analysis Generating Hourly Weather Forecasts Viewing and Modifying Weather Summary Data (BFB, STFB & NTFB) Copying an Existing Near-Term Fire Behavior Analysis Creating an FSPro Analysis About General FSPro Input Parameters FSPro Information Menu Option About Run FSPro Status Monitoring FSPro Run Status from the Analysis List About the Date Filter (FSPro) Copying an Existing FSPro Analysis About the ERC Stream (FSPro) About ERC Classes (FSPro) Setting up FSPro Winds Editing the FSPro Wind Matrix Adding or Deleting Rows to the Winds Matrix (FSPro) Downloading Winds (FSPro) Recalculating Winds Distribution (FSPro) Interpreting the Winds Rose (FSPro) Downloading an Analysis KMZ File Near Term Fire Behavior Results Downloads FSPro Fire Behavior Results Downloads Viewing Analysis Notes Viewing Analysis Results Viewing the Analysis Report

Reference Field Descriptions Glossary Resources Spatial Data Reference Landscape Data Source Reference Relative Risk Reference Organization Assessment Reference Fire Behavior Reference About the WFDSS Decision Editors