ESTIMATING FINE DEAD FUEL MOISTURE CONTENT UNDER EQUATORIAL CLIMATE CONDITIONS

Autores

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/rf.v51i3.72389

Palavras-chave:

fire risk, fire weather, fuel moisture modelling.

Resumo

The measurement of the fine dead fuel moisture content (FDFMC) is extremely important for forest fire prevention and suppression activities, as it has a great influence on the ignition probability and fire behavior. The Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC) from the Fire Weather Index (FWI), is one of the most used models to estimate the FDFMC. Nevertheless, studies that assess the efficiency of this model in Brazil or in low latitude regions are rare. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the FFMC in an equatorial climate area and to develop a new model capable of estimating the FDFMC with greater precision. For this purpose, 861 random samples of fine dead fuel had their moisture content determined through oven drying. The obtained values were compared with those estimated by the FFMC and correlated with meteorological parameters to build a regression model. The results obtained show that the FDFMC was overestimated by the FFMC. The independent variables with the greatest influence on the FDFMC were, in decreasing order of significance: air relative humidity, air temperature, amount of rainfall in the last 24 hours and number of days without rainfall. The developed model presented good statistical parameters (r2 = 0.86; p <0.0001; RMSE = 0.22) and can be used, in areas with similar characteristics of the study area, to estimate the daily fire risk and to determine ideal conditions for prescribed burns.

Biografia do Autor

Benjamin Leonardo Alves White, Instituto Federal de Ciência e Tecnologia Baiano (IF Baiano)

Bacharel e Licenciado em Ciências Biológica, Mestre e Doutor em Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento pela Rede PRODEMA, com período Sandwich na Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Portugal) durante o Doutorado. Pós-doutorado (DCR) em Ciências Ambientais finalizado em 2018 com financiamento da FAPITEC e do CNPq. Tem experiência na área de Meio Ambiente, Ecologia, Monitoramento Climático e Incêndios Florestais. Atualmente é professor EBTT do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Baiano (IF Baiano) com o cargo de Coordenação da Educação a Distância (CEaD) do Campus Xique-Xique.

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Publicado

22-06-2021

Como Citar

White, B. L. A., & Silva, M. F. A. (2021). ESTIMATING FINE DEAD FUEL MOISTURE CONTENT UNDER EQUATORIAL CLIMATE CONDITIONS. FLORESTA, 51(3), 696–702. https://doi.org/10.5380/rf.v51i3.72389

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