FIRE BEHAVIOR MODELING IN HERBACEOUS VEGETATION IN THE BRAZILIAN CERRADO

Resumo

Understanding the variables accounting for influencing fire behavior enables developing models to simulate fire spread over landscapes, as well as integrating information on the main sets of factors closely related to this phenomenon. The aim of the present study is to measure parameters of fire behavior in experimental burns carried out under field conditions to establish correlations between fire variables and environmental factors to develop fire behavior-prediction models. Experimental burning was carried out in the rural area of Currais municipality-PI, at the end of the rainy season, in May 2021. Forty (40) plots (10 m x 2m)  presenting homogeneous vegetation distribution arranged in the prevalent wind direction of the investigated region were defined in the study site. The meteorological variable ‘wind speed’ presented higher correlation to fire behavior parameters, whereas burning time was the most important variable in the herein tested predictive models. Environmental variables presented good predictive capacity to estimate fire spread speed and intensity. With respect to flames’ height, it is recommended taking into consideration vegetation variables in the model. The analysis and synthesis applied to results of the experimental burning enabled understanding fire behavior in herbaceous vegetation in the Brazilian Cerrado domain. This finding turns it into an essential element at the time to carry out adequate fire management practices, as well as core element of the entire forest fire-management process.