Reaction Intensity Partitioning: A New Perspective of the National Fire Danger Rating System Energy Release Component

Authors

Francis M. Fujioka, Chapman University
David R. Weise, US Department of Agriculture
Shyh-Chin Chen, US Department of Agriculture
Seung Hee Kim, Chapman UniversityFollow
Menas C. Kafatos, Chapman UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-14-2021

Abstract

The Rothermel fire spread model provides the scientific basis for the US National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and several other important fire management applications. This study proposes a new perspective of the model that partitions the reaction intensity function and Energy Release Component (ERC) equations as an alternative that simplifies calculations while providing more insight into the temporal variability of the energy release component of fire danger. We compare the theoretical maximum reaction intensities and corresponding ERCs across 1978, 1988 and 2016 NFDRS fuel models as they are currently computed and as they would be computed under the proposed scheme. The advantages and disadvantages of the new approach are discussed. More study is required to determine its operational implications.

Comments

This article was originally published in International Journal of Wildland Fire in 2021. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20025

Recommended Citation

Fujioka Francis M., Weise David R., Chen Shyh-Chin, Kim Seung Hee, Kafatos Menas C. (2021) Reaction intensity partitioning: a new perspective of the National Fire Danger Rating System Energy Release Component. International Journal of Wildland Fire. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20025

Peer Reviewed

1

Copyright

IAWF

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.