Australian grasstrees are a long-lived group of arborescent, monocotyledonous plants that persist in fire-prone landscapes. Renowned for their capacity to survive fire, and flower soon after, these species have long attracted the attention of biologists. A southwestern Australian species, Xanthorrhoea preissii, has been the subject of several recent studies, including use and verification of the "leafbase banding technique" that prompted my study. This technique, which is used to determine the age and fire history of grasstrees, correlates alternating brown- and cream-coloured, transverse bands along the stem of grasstrees with seasonal growth, and intermittent black bands with the burning of the plant. Combined, this information provides a chronology for the fire events. Fundamental to this interpretation is the assumption that grasstrees grow continually, and this growth varies annually in accordance with changes between the two contrasting seasons of its mediterranean climate. I studied X. preissii in two habitats (jarrah forest and banksia woodland) adjacent to the Perth metropolitan area, in southwestern Australia, focussing on leaf growth and phenology in relation to four factors important to the species lifecycle; climate, fire, reproduction and herbivory. Leaf production monitored for grasstrees in both habitats revealed continuous growth, oscillating between maximum rates (2.5-3.2 leaves/d) from late-spring (November) to autumn (April/May), to a minimum rate of as low as 0.5 leaf/d during winter. In additional support of the "leafbase banding technique", annual leaf production was not different from the number of leafbases comprising one cream and one brown band. / Synchronised with leaf production, grasstree water potentials cycled annually, with predawn readings commonly measured as 0 MPa during winter-spring and were as low as -1.26 MPa during summer, but they never exceeded the turgor loss point (-1.85 to -2.18 MPa). The fast summer growth was characterised by a fluctuating pattern of leaf production, particularly in banksia woodland, where grasstrees reliably responded to >18 mm of rainfall. Twenty-four hours after 59 mm of simulated rainfall, grasstrees in banksia woodland showed a significant increase in water potential and increased leaf production by 7.5 times. Reflecting this result, rainfall was the best climatic variable for predicting banksia woodland grasstree leaf production rate during summer, whereas leaf production of jarrah forest grasstrees was most closely correlated with daylength. Substrate differences between the two habitats can explain this variation in leaf growth patterns. While water appears to have played an important role in the evolution of this species, growth phenology suggests that X. preissii may have retained a mesotherm growth rhythm from the subtropical early Tertiary Period. To distinguish fire-stimulated growth from the underlying growth patterns imposed by season, leaf production and starch reserves of X. preissii were compared between plants from unburnt sites and those burnt in spring and autumn. Immediately following fire, X. preissii responded with accelerated leaf production, regardless of season. Rapid leaf accumulation during the initial flush of growth was partly at the expense of starch reserves in the stem. Although this initial flush was relatively short-lived (12-32 weeks), the effect of fire on leaf production was sustained for much longer (up to 19 months). / Mean maximum leaf production rate was higher for spring-burnt grasstrees (up to 6.1 leaves/d) than those burnt in autumn (up to 4.5 leaves/d), due to optimum growing conditions in late spring/early summer. Similarly, the timing of autumn burns in relation to declining temperatures with the approach of winter appeared to dictate how rapidly grasstrees resprouted. These consequences of fire season may have implications for the reproductive success of X. preissii, reflected in the greater mean spike mass of spring-burnt grasstrees (1.19 kg) than those burnt in autumn (0.78 kg). Leaf and spike growth, starch reserves and the effect of restricting light to reproductive plants on spike elongation were assessed. The emergence of the spike from within the plant's apex triggers a reduction in leaf production of up to 4.6 times that of a vegetative grasstree that is sustained until seed release 4.5-5 months later. Jarrah forest grasstrees experienced the largest trade-off in leaf production (7% lower leaf production than grasstrees in banksia woodland), and produced the shortest mature inflorescences (50% of banksia woodland grasstree inflorescences), suggesting a constraint imposed by resource availability in this habitat. During the period from inflorescence elongation to seed release starch reserves were depleted. / Experimentation in the banksia woodland revealed that, although the developing spike is itself photosynthetic, it is the daily production of photosynthates by the surrounding foliage that contributes most significantly to its growth. When light was prevented from reaching the leaves the starch stored within the stem was not a sufficient substitute, evidenced by a significant reduction in spike biomass of 41%. A fire simulation experiment with a factorial design was used to assess three factors considered important for postfire grasstree leaf growth in banksia woodland: water, ash and shade. While results identified that ash and reduced shade significantly affect leaf growth, their effects were small compared with the stimulation derived solely from leaf removal by fire, simulated in this experiment by clipping. Clipping, also used to simulate herbivory, was imposed on a series of grasstrees at different frequencies. X. preissii demonstrated a strong capacity to recover in both jarrah forest and banksia woodland, even after clipping every month for 16 months. Starch reserves were depleted as the result of clipping, providing a cause of the eventual deterioration of grasstree 'health' associated with chronic herbivory. The similarity of growth responses to leaf removal independent of the mechanism (eg. fire or herbivory), provided reason to question the interpretation that grasstrees are essentially adapted to fire, rather than the alternative, that they are adapted to herbivory.

A large range of polymers are used in building and mass transport interiors which released more toxic products during combustion. This work explores the cytotoxicity of selected chemicals and smoke derived from materials combustion. A selection of polymers and fiberglass reinforced polymer (FRP) composites used in building and railway carriage interiors including: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), melamine plywood, and two FRPs were studied. A small scale laboratory fire test using a vertical tube furnace was designed for the generation of combustion products. The volatile organic compounds were identified using ATD-GCMS (Automatic Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry). The in vitro techniques were developed for human cells exposure to fire effluents including the indirect (impinger) and direct (air/liquid interface using Harvard Navicyte Chamber) exposure. Cytotoxic effects were assessed based on cell viability using a range of in vitro assays. Human skin tissue was also used as preliminary study to assess the toxic effects at the tissue level. A minor change in the cellular function of the skin from the exposure of PMMA combustion products was observed. The combustion study was conducted under different burning stage of fire: non-flaming and flaming combustion. Results suggested that PVC was the most toxic material for both non-flaming (IC50 1.24 mg/L) and flaming combustion (IC50 1.99 mg/L). The degree of toxicity generated depends on the fire stage: non-flaming or flaming combustion. Some materials revealed to be more toxic under flaming combustion (PP, PC, FRPs), whilst others (PVC, PMMA, PE, and melamine plywood) appear to be more toxic under non-flaming combustion. A strong correlation was shown between the change in toxicity as measured by IC50 and TLC and the change in concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulates. A comparison between in vitro data versus published in vivo combustion data indicated the in vitro results to be more sensitive than animal toxicity data. The outcome of this study has the potential for an alternative method to current fire toxicity standard, whilst providing more accurate toxicity information for fire safety professionals, materials manufacturer, building designers and consumer safety data.

<p>Denna slutrapport beskriver projektarbetet <em>Funktionsbeskrivning av Brandlarms-styrningen av Ventilationssystemet ombord Korvett av Göteborgsklass</em> som beställdes av divisionsingenjören vid 41.korvettdivisionen. Bakgrunden till projektets beställning var att fartygens dokumentation över ventilationssystemets funktion vid brand var bristfällig vilket försvårade underhåll, felsökning och utbildning av och på systemet. Den ofullständiga dokumentationen var ett resultat av att individerna i fartygs­klassen modifierats i flera olika omgångar utan att dokumentationen uppdaterats på ett tillfredsställande sätt. Det hade även framkommit att det fanns olikheter i konfigurationen av fartygsindividernas system.</p><p>Projektet genomfördes dels genom studier av den befintliga dokumentation som fanns att tillgå ombord och på divisionen, dels genom praktiska under­sökningar ombord på fartygen. Under de praktiska undersökningarna framkom behov av ytterligare utredningar än de som ursprungligen framgick av det erhållna uppdraget.</p><p>Projektet påvisade skillnader mellan fartygens system, vissa förmodat felaktiga styr­ningar av fläktar och spjäll samt fastställde att dokumentationen var bristfällig. Projektet resulterade i ett antal beskrivande dokument som sammanställdes i en pärm för respektive fartyg. Dessa uppfyller det givna uppdraget och målen med projektet.</p><p>En större modifiering av fartygen i klassen med syfte att förlänga deras operativa livslängd är under planeringsstadiet. Under modifieringen skall bland annat fartygens dokumen­tation uppdateras, något som resultaten från detta projekt kommer underlätta.</p> / <p>This is the final report regarding the project <em>A Functional Description of the Fire Alarm Con­trol in the Ventilation System aboard the Swedish Navy’s Gothenburg-class Corvettes,</em> wh­­ich was commissioned by the Senior Marine Engineer Officer of the 41st Corvette Sq­­ua­d­ron of the 4th Naval Warfare Flotilla. The reason for the commission was that the set of documentation concerning the function of the ventilation system in case of a fire was insufficient. This caused problems, both during maintenance work done to en­­­su­re that the system was operating in accordance with the design parameters, as well as when trouble-shooting the system. The insufficient set of documentation was a result of a number of upgrades done to the ships over the ye­ars without any corr­e­s­p­on­ding up­date of the documentation. During the project it has also been made clear that there were non-documented differences existing be­­tween the ships in the class.</p><p>The project was fulfilled by a combination of studies of the existing set of do­cumen­tation and practical surveys aboard the ships. During the surveys, more short­comings in the existing set of documentation became evident.</p><p>The project demonstrated differences between the individual ships, assumed inaccuracies in the control of fans and dampers and determined the shortage in the set of documentation. The project has resulted in a number of describing documents that are collected in one unique file for each ship. These documents fulfil the commission and the objectives of the project.</p><p>A major upgrade of the ships in the class with the purpose of extending their operational lifetime is now being planned. The ships’ set of documentation will be simultaneously updated, a task that will be simplified with the support of the results of this project.</p>

This component of the Conservation Innovation Grants Summer Burning project evaluates the economic feasibility of using prescribed fire that exceeds the current Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) technical standards as a rangeland restoration practice on privately owned land in Texas. This study has four objectives: (1) Evaluate the economic effectiveness of using prescribed extreme burns as a rangeland restoration tool compared to other rangeland restoration strategies. (2) Provide economic research results that will facilitate a review of the technical standards, specification, and potential policy changes by the NRCS with respect to the use of prescribed extreme burning. (3) Assess economic effects of extreme fire when used in combination with other treatment practices over a 20 year planning horizon. (4) Through modeling, forecasting, and simulation assess the risk associated with the use of extreme prescribed fire, with respect to weather (rainfall) conditions. The research covers four contiguous counties in each of three eco-regions in Texas: Rolling Plains, Edwards Plateau, and the South Texas Plains. Focus group meetings with landowners and NRCS/Extension personnel were held in each region to obtain preliminary information including common rangeland uses, most problematic invasive brush species, and the most commonly used treatment methods and associated costs. The primary invasive species in each region include: Rolling Plains – Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaecantha); Edwards Plateau – Redberry and Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei Buchh. And J. pinchotii Sudw., respectively); South Texas Plains – Huisache (Acacia smallii Isely). Mesquite (Prosopis glandulsa Torr.) was identified as a common invasive brush species across all three regions. When extreme fire was compared to the most commonly used invasive brush treatments, assuming the treatment was instituted in year one, it was economically superior in all cases and feasible (Net Present Value > 0 and Benefit/Cost Ratio >1) in all but two cases. The inclusion of forecasted rainfall figures with the combination of using the most commonly used brush treatment with extreme fire proved to substantially reduce the risk of instituting the treatment regimes. The probability distribution of NPVs was significantly smaller when treatment practices were spread over ten years and parcels than when treatment was restricted to the first year and whole ranch.

Uncontrolled wildfires occur in Ontario and across Canada each year, typically during the fire season from April 1 to September 30. Fire suppression in protected areas and property (private, Crown land) coupled with warmer and drier summers are causing increased hazardous conditions that add fuel to the fire and result in more intense and prolonged wildfires. Park managers realize that fire plays a significant role in maintaining the health of a boreal ecosystem and reducing flammable forest fuels. Prescribed burning is one practice that can regenerate fire-dependent ecosystems, reduce hazardous fuels, reduce wildfire spread, and protect values. The objective of this research is to develop and test a methodology for modeling the potential of prescribed burns to serve as regional fire breaks. This method will be suitable for parks and protected areas, particularly those with flammable fuels close to their boundaries and ensure that fire does not spread beyond their jurisdiction. Park managers that implement fire as a tool in managing the landscape and permitting prescribed natural fires may find interest in the results of this proposed fire break method. The research study area is Quetico Wilderness Provincial Park, a park that successfully integrated the use of fire in their management strategies. However, it is anticipated that this method can be applied to other locations to regenerate fire-dependant ecosystems, reduce fuel and control wildfires. Five fire break designs were simulated using Prometheus fire growth modeling software. There was statistically less fire outside the barrier, compared to having no barrier in place. Factors influencing the effectiveness of each break included fire break size, number of years required to create the break, proximity to the park boundary and barrier compactness (fragmentation or continuity). The potential escape in wildfires and area burned varied significantly between fire break designs. In these simulations, a fire break is effective in reducing flammable fuels, regenerating boreal forest species and reducing the spread of and containing wildfires. It is evident that fire is an important factor in park management for maintaining ecosystem diversity. Regional fire breaks should be incorporated for fire and vegetation fuel management in parks. The use of software modeling should also be included with park operation.

Uncontrolled wildfires occur in Ontario and across Canada each year, typically during the fire season from April 1 to September 30. Fire suppression in protected areas and property (private, Crown land) coupled with warmer and drier summers are causing increased hazardous conditions that add fuel to the fire and result in more intense and prolonged wildfires. Park managers realize that fire plays a significant role in maintaining the health of a boreal ecosystem and reducing flammable forest fuels. Prescribed burning is one practice that can regenerate fire-dependent ecosystems, reduce hazardous fuels, reduce wildfire spread, and protect values. The objective of this research is to develop and test a methodology for modeling the potential of prescribed burns to serve as regional fire breaks. This method will be suitable for parks and protected areas, particularly those with flammable fuels close to their boundaries and ensure that fire does not spread beyond their jurisdiction. Park managers that implement fire as a tool in managing the landscape and permitting prescribed natural fires may find interest in the results of this proposed fire break method. The research study area is Quetico Wilderness Provincial Park, a park that successfully integrated the use of fire in their management strategies. However, it is anticipated that this method can be applied to other locations to regenerate fire-dependant ecosystems, reduce fuel and control wildfires. Five fire break designs were simulated using Prometheus fire growth modeling software. There was statistically less fire outside the barrier, compared to having no barrier in place. Factors influencing the effectiveness of each break included fire break size, number of years required to create the break, proximity to the park boundary and barrier compactness (fragmentation or continuity). The potential escape in wildfires and area burned varied significantly between fire break designs. In these simulations, a fire break is effective in reducing flammable fuels, regenerating boreal forest species and reducing the spread of and containing wildfires. It is evident that fire is an important factor in park management for maintaining ecosystem diversity. Regional fire breaks should be incorporated for fire and vegetation fuel management in parks. The use of software modeling should also be included with park operation.

This component of the Conservation Innovation Grants Summer Burning project evaluates the economic feasibility of using prescribed fire that exceeds the current Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) technical standards as a rangeland restoration practice on privately owned land in Texas. This study has four objectives: (1) Evaluate the economic effectiveness of using prescribed extreme burns as a rangeland restoration tool compared to other rangeland restoration strategies. (2) Provide economic research results that will facilitate a review of the technical standards, specification, and potential policy changes by the NRCS with respect to the use of prescribed extreme burning. (3) Assess economic effects of extreme fire when used in combination with other treatment practices over a 20 year planning horizon. (4) Through modeling, forecasting, and simulation assess the risk associated with the use of extreme prescribed fire, with respect to weather (rainfall) conditions. The research covers four contiguous counties in each of three eco-regions in Texas: Rolling Plains, Edwards Plateau, and the South Texas Plains. Focus group meetings with landowners and NRCS/Extension personnel were held in each region to obtain preliminary information including common rangeland uses, most problematic invasive brush species, and the most commonly used treatment methods and associated costs. The primary invasive species in each region include: Rolling Plains – Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaecantha); Edwards Plateau – Redberry and Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei Buchh. And J. pinchotii Sudw., respectively); South Texas Plains – Huisache (Acacia smallii Isely). Mesquite (Prosopis glandulsa Torr.) was identified as a common invasive brush species across all three regions. When extreme fire was compared to the most commonly used invasive brush treatments, assuming the treatment was instituted in year one, it was economically superior in all cases and feasible (Net Present Value > 0 and Benefit/Cost Ratio >1) in all but two cases. The inclusion of forecasted rainfall figures with the combination of using the most commonly used brush treatment with extreme fire proved to substantially reduce the risk of instituting the treatment regimes. The probability distribution of NPVs was significantly smaller when treatment practices were spread over ten years and parcels than when treatment was restricted to the first year and whole ranch.

In 1991, a lot of fire occurred in public place, and caused many persons dead and injured. For example, the fire happened in Kaohsiung Citi hotel at the midnight on Oct.24, 1992, the death-toll of accident was 18 lodgers dead, and the fire happened in Taichung welcome Restaurant at 19:20 on Feb.15,1995, the death-toll of the accident was 64 persons dead. To strengthen protecting up on protect people¡¦s life and property,enforceing the prevention of disaster, central government established National Fire Agency on Mar.1, 1995. National Fire Agency is subordinated to the minister of Interior, they started to study the statute of fire and pursue 12 projects related to the prevention and rescue of disaster. They reorganized the fire department, up the level from subject to police department to subject to municipal government. The earthquake happened on Sept. 21, 1999, gave a trial on the prevention of disaster system and the ability for cope with exigency. The minister of Interior discussed the disaster actual situation,and referred to the legislation of developed countries (USA, Japan), and draft the new ¡§prevention of disaster¡¨ plan. The minister of Interior set up a prevention of disaster committee that belongs to central government. City, prefecture and province set up the prevention of disaster proceeding, all the fire departments will be the business general staff units of City, prefecture and province, and will be the main disaster salvage unit. Due to the environment of disaster prevention change and reorganization, the research is trying to see if fire department could take the responsibility for the disaster salvage in the whole disaster prevention system through documents and how to cooperate with each level of government to consolidate the rescue resource, heighten the disaster prevention efficacy and to lower the loss of people¡¦s life and property. Under the mentioned subject, the research analyses the possible influence factors that fire fighter might face with. (e.g. the equipments, facilities, management, backup support, expense and personnel etc¡K)

In case of fire, the smoke plum will reach the roof creating a ceiling jet leading to the edge and starting to descend. The smoke descending rate depends heavily on the smoke production rate and the way it was produced. Recent research has been concentrated on the smoke produced in an axi-symmetric plume model, but rarely on wall or corner plume models. In addition, the smoke production rate was estimated based on different fire sizes, which neglected the effect introduced by the make-up air, and is the main theme of this study. During the earlier stage of this study, the calculation models to predict the smoke entrainment rate was analyzed to identify its effectiveness in calculating the smoke production rate under cornered fires. In addition, the effect of the make-up air on the mechanical and natural smoke exhaust system was analyzed to calculate the corresponding smoke descending rate. Finally, the optimal calculation model to be utilized for the performance-based fire engineering designs of smoke management systems will be proposed, so that the make-up air effect can also be coupled during the design process.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Oregon, 2000. / Computer optical disc in pocket of back cover titled: Animated time series of fire occurrence in Western Oregon, A.D. 1200-2000. Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-110). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to UO users.