Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Coastal mallee shrubland wildfires present challenges for accurately predicting fire spread sustainability and rate of spread. In this study, we assess the fuel drivers contributing to coastal mallee shrubland fires. A review of shrubland fire behaviour models and fuel metrics was conducted to determine the current practice of assessing shrubland fuels. This was followed by workshops designed to elicit which fuel structural metrics are key drivers of fire behaviour in coastal mallee shrublands. We found that height is the most commonly used fuel metric in shrubland fire models due to the ease of collection in situ or as a surrogate for more complex fuel structures. Expert workshop results suggest that cover and connectivity metrics are key to modelling fire behaviour in coastal mallee shrublands. While height and cover are frequently used in fire models, we conclude that connectivity metrics would offer additional insights into fuel drivers in mallee shrublands. Future research into coastal mallee fire behaviour should include the measurements of fuel height, cover, and horizontal and vertical connectivity.
Source: Fire
DOI: 10.3390/fire7040128
Institutions: Natural Hazards Research Australia, RMIT University
Language: English
Topic: Fire effects on ecosystems
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,728
OpenAlex ID: W4394684262