Fuel moisture modeling based on meteorological variables

Abstract

Fuel moisture knowledge is essential to estimate several fire behavior variables. The objective of this research was to estimate fuel moisture basing on meteorological variables. The fuel used in the research was the accumulated needles over the forest floor in a Pinus elliottii plantation in the Federal University of Paraná Experimental Station located in Rio Negro county, Paraná State, southern Brazil (26º04’S latitude and 49º45’W longitude).Two methodologies were used to measure the fuel moisture: i) samples were collected and placed in a basket to be weighted along the days; ii) samples were collected along the days directly from the forest floor. Samples from both methodologies were weighted in pre-established time intervals and oven dried for moisture determination. The samples collected directly from the forest floor presented better results and the equation with best fit included the air temperature and wind speed (UMC = b₀ + b₁*T + b₂*V), with R² = 0,86 and S_xy = 8,74%.