>Magister Scientiae - MSc / For a long time, fire dynamics has been misunderstood and viewed as either a destructive force or an ecological necessity. The Western Cape Province in South Africa experiences the frequent occurrence of fires, due to the prevailing Mediterranean climatic conditions. This climate is known for its hot and dry summers and its cold and wet winters, which, along with the highly flammable indigenous flora of the Western Cape, provide suitable conditions for the occurrence of fires. However, the local environmental and ecological variables that influence the occurrence of fires and that could assist with fire management practices remain poorly understood. The development of an integrated operational monitoring framework is therefore imperative for detecting and mapping the occurrence of fires in the Western Cape, South Africa.

A comprehensive fuel load assessment of all plant communities in Bryce Canyon National Park is provided. Fuel loads by community type are pooled into "fuel type associations" based on similarity in predicted fire behavior, and the fuel type associations are mapped throughout the Park. For each fuel type association, a series of fire behavior simulations is presented describing expected rates of spread and intensities for typical conditions in each month of the fire season and for a worst-case scenario. These fire behavior predictions provide guidelines for writing prescribed burning prescriptions or for quickly assessing the need for possible fire suppression and the amount of effort required to suppress particular fires.

Prescribed burning is an important management tool for the restoration and maintenance of tallgrass prairies. To improve fire behaviour prediction in tallgrass prairies, I assessed three different aspects of fire behaviour - heat of combustion, fuel load and rate of spread. Heat of combustion was found to vary amongst certain tallgrass species but the relatively small differences in means is unlikely to contribute significantly to fire behaviour. Average fuel loads in Ontario tallgrass prairie sites were found to be higher than current default value used in fire behaviour prediction. Three rapid fuel load assessment techniques were tested. Finally, the predictions of three fire behaviour prediction systems - the FBP System, BehavePlus and an Australian grassfire spread model, were compared with actual fire behaviour observations. The FBP System was found to perform poorly while both BehavePlus and the Australian model exhibited relatively strong relationships between observed and predicted rates of spread.

Prescribed burning is an important management tool for the restoration and maintenance of tallgrass prairies. To improve fire behaviour prediction in tallgrass prairies, I assessed three different aspects of fire behaviour - heat of combustion, fuel load and rate of spread. Heat of combustion was found to vary amongst certain tallgrass species but the relatively small differences in means is unlikely to contribute significantly to fire behaviour. Average fuel loads in Ontario tallgrass prairie sites were found to be higher than current default value used in fire behaviour prediction. Three rapid fuel load assessment techniques were tested. Finally, the predictions of three fire behaviour prediction systems - the FBP System, BehavePlus and an Australian grassfire spread model, were compared with actual fire behaviour observations. The FBP System was found to perform poorly while both BehavePlus and the Australian model exhibited relatively strong relationships between observed and predicted rates of spread.

This dissertation explores the differential effects of fires and rodent communities on native and invasive desert plant communities. Chapter one examines the impacts of fire and repeat fires on fuel loads in two different Utah desert sites, one in the cool Great Basin Desert and one in the hyper-arid Mojave Desert, over the course of four years. We found that both desert sites responded with varying intensities to a single burn, but the effects of a reburn were not as pronounced. We also found that our Great Basin Desert site had a stronger response to fire than our Mojave Desert site, producing a higher plant fuel loads that could potentially exacerbate the changing fire regimes. These data can be used to help map the effects that climate change may have on fuel loads and the fire potential of these deserts. Chapter two uses a full factorial experimental design to compare the effects of rodent herbivory and fire on native versus invasive seedlings at our Mojave Desert field site. We found that rodent herbivory has a more negative impact on the survival of native seedlings than invasive seedlings. This could be because the invasives are grasses that tend to tolerate herbivory better than the native shrubs and forbs. Chapter three again uses a full factorial experimental design to assess the impacts of rodents and fire on the fate of native and invasive seeds at our field site in the Mojave Desert. We found that rodents removed seeds, and they did show preferences for some species of seed over others, but these preferences were not different between native and invasive seeds or seed mass. We propose that the preferences may be influenced by other seed traits such as water content, handling time or physical and chemical defenses. As with the seedlings in chapter two, fire did not have any impact on rodent seed preferences. These data highlight the importance of considering rodent effects on seeds used in restoration effects following wildfires.

Orientador: Alessandra Tomaselli Fidelis / Resumo: O Cerrado é formado por fisionomias campestres e savânicas, evoluiu na presença do fogo e depende dele para manter suas fisionomias e biodiversidade. O regime de fogo influencia diretamente na montagem da comunidade vegetal, na regeneração e nas habilidades competitivas das plantas. A frequência é um dos fatores do regime de fogo e alterações nela podem ser prejudiciais até mesmo para plantas e comunidades adaptadas ao fogo. Portanto, este estudo busca compreender os efeitos de diferentes frequências de fogo em comunidades de campo sujo de Cerrado. Para isso, foram realizados levantamentos da vegetação e coleta de biomassa em áreas com diferentes históricos de fogo (excluído do fogo, queimadas anualmente e bienalmente), o que forneceu os dados de composição e produtividade da comunidade. Os levantamentos, incluindo a cobertura (%) por espécie, foram realizados em 10 subparcelas de 1x1m por tratamento (10 subparcelas/tratamento,3 tratamentos, 4 parcelas/tratamento). Avaliamos também através da taxa de propagação (m.s-1), eficiência de queima (%) e intensidade (kW.m-1) entre outros parâmetros do fogo, os efeitos de diferentes frequências no comportamento do fogo. Nossos resultados mostraram que a riqueza de espécies das comunidades vegetais foi maior nas áreas com frequência anual de fogo do que nas excluídas, 6 meses após o fogo e maior para as bienais do que as excluídas 12 meses após o fogo. O índice de diversidade foi maior no tratamento anual de queima antes e 12 meses apó... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The Cerrado is formed by grasslands and savannah physiognomies, evolved in the presence of fire and depends on it to maintain its physiognomies and biodiversity. The fire regime influences the plant community assembly, the regeneration and the competitive abilities of the plants. Frequency is one of the factors of the fire regime and changes in it can be detrimental even to fire-adapted plants and communities. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the effects of different fire frequencies in campo sujo of Cerrado communities. For this, vegetation surveys and biomass collection were carried out in areas with different fire histories (excluded from fire, burned annually and biennially), which provided community composition and productivity data. Surveys, including coverage (%) by species, were performed on 10 1x1m subplots per treatment (10 subplots / treatment, 3 treatments, 4 plots / treatment). We also evaluated through propagation rate (m.s-1), firing efficiency (%) and intensity (kW.m-1) among other fire parameters, the effects of different frequencies on fire behavior. Our results showed that species richness of plant communities was higher in areas with annual fire frequency than in excluded areas 6 months after fire and higher for biennials than those excluded 12 months after fire. The diversity index was higher in the annual burn treatment before and 12 months after the burns. Regarding the number of species per functional group, only the forbs presented increase a... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Prescriptive fire safety codes regulate the use of combustible room linings to reduce fire risk. These regulations are based on classification systems which designate materials according to their relative hazard when exposed to a standard fire scenario. However, no quantitative data sets on the fire risk of wooden lining materials exist which take into account relevant uncertainties, such as movable fuel loads in compartments. This work is a comparative risk analysis on the influence of wooden linings on the time to flashover in a compartment, considering uncertainties in the fuel load configuration. A risk model is set up for this purpose using B-RISK, a probabilistic fire design and research tool currently under development at BRANZ (Building Research Association of New Zealand) and the University of Canterbury. The risk model calculates fire spread in a compartment between fuel load items and from fuel load items to combustible linings. Multiple iterations are performed considering varying fuel load arrangements and input values sampled from distributions (Monte-Carlo simulation). The functionality and applicability of the risk model is demonstrated, comparing the model with experiments from the literature. The model assumptions are described in detail. Some of the model inputs are defined as distributions in order to account for uncertainty. Parametric studies are conducted in order to analyse the sensitivity of the results to input parameters which cannot be described as distributions. Probabilistic times to flashover are presented and discussed for an ISO 9705 compartment considering varying movable fuel loads and different lining configurations. The fuel load is typical for a hotel room occupancy. Effects of suppression measures are not considered. It is shown that flashover occurs approximately 60 seconds earlier if walls and ceiling are lined with wooden materials than if all linings are non-combustible. This value refers to the 5th percentiles of the time to flashover, i.e. in 5% of the cases flashover has occurred and in 95% of the cases flashover has not (yet) occurred. Referring to 50th percentiles (median values), the difference is approximately 180 seconds. Furthermore it is shown that with wooden wall and ceiling linings in approximately 95% of the iterations flashover occurs, whereas with non-combustible linings 86% of the iterations lead to flashover. After 900 seconds, in 90% of the iterations flashover occurs if walls and ceiling are lined with wooden materials, and in 77% of the iterations if the linings are non-combustible. Using different wooden lining materials (non-fire retardant plywood, fire retardant plywood, and MDF) has no significant effect on the probabilistic times to flashover. Varying the fuel load energy density has an influence only when all linings are non-combustible and when the fuel load energy density is relatively low (100–200 MJ/m2). This work contains recommendations regarding the further development of B-RISK, the research into the fire risk connected with wooden room linings, and suggestions regarding the further development of prescriptive fire safety codes.

For roughly the past 200 years land-managers have used the practice of “muirburning” to manipulate the structure of heather (Calluna vulgaris) to create a patchwork of habitat structures able to provide forage and nesting sites for red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus) as well as grazing for sheep (Ovis aries) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). This thesis investigates both the behaviour and impact of management fires in recognition of the need to develop multi-aim land management practices that ensure both continued productivity and protection of biodiversity in the face of climatic and environmental change. Fuel structure and loading are crucial controlling factors on both fire behaviour and impact governing both rate of spread and heat release to the ground surface. A visual obstruction method is developed that estimates total and fine fuel loading as well as the structure of the heather canopy. In order to adequately understand fire impact a dimensional analysis approach is taken to estimating the mass of burnt heather stems. Experiments at a number of spatial and temporal scales relate variation in heather fuel moisture content to stand structure and variation in weather conditions. Monitoring shows moisture contents to be relatively stable temporally, but spatially variable. Periods of extreme low moisture contents in early spring are associated with frozen ground, winter cuticle damage and physiological drought. Such conditions may have contributed to the large number of wildfires in 2003. A replicated plot design was used to investigate the effect of weather conditions and fuel loading on fire behaviour. An empirical approach is taken to fire behaviour modelling with equations describing rate of spread and fireline intensity being developed on the basis of fuel structure descriptors and windspeed. The theoretical negative correlation between fuel bed density and rate of spread is demonstrated to hold true for heather stands, while the impact of heterogeneity in fuel bed structure is also investigated. Redundancy Analysis is used to investigate the influence of multiple predictors on a number of aspects of fire behaviour including: rate of spread, fireline intensity, flame length and ground surface heating. Data from this and previous studies are used to ground-truth a number of fire behaviour prediction systems including BehavePlus and the Canadian Fire Behaviour Prediction System. Finally linkages between fire behaviour, fire severity and heather regeneration are investigated. A number of proxy measures of ‘Immediate Severity’ are tested and used to examine the influence of fires on plant regeneration. The post-fire development of stands is shown to relate primarily to stand age and structure before burning, and to post-fire substrates rather than variation in fire behaviour and severity.

Forest fires are one of the most serious environmental problems of today's world, caused, mainly, from the misuse of fire in agricultural activities. Studies show that they have direct influence on the biodiversity reduction and in the increase of greenhouse effect, beside negatively affect soil fertility. The situation is even more serious when the fire reaches conservation areas. In Sergipe, areas of preserved Atlantic Forest share spaces with sugarcane monoculture, in which, every year, control burns are carried out during the harvest procedure. This misuse of fire is responsible for environmental problems every year. Therefore, researchers have been working to understand the main factors that contribute to the higher incidence of forest fires, seeking to better predict the fire behavior and thus, establish more effective fire prevention programs. This work fits in this perspective and has as objective, quantify the surface fuel load and assess the fire behavior in different vegetation types of the Wildlife Refuge Mata do Junco, Capela, Sergipe, thus generating important knowledge for science and useful information for the design of an operational plan to prevent forest fires in the region. The study area with approximately 897 ha, has a relevant ecological interest. Rare and endemic species such as the Callicebus coimbrai are present there, as also the Lagartixo river, an important stream that supply water for the region. As methodology, the sampling fieldwork were done from January to October 2015, in three different vegetation types: Bamboo Fields, Closed Forests and Transition Areas, were 60 samples of surface fuel load were collected and classified according to the Rothermel (1972) model. The fuel moisture content and climate variables as air temperature and air relative humidity were also measured during the sampling procedure. All the fuel load collected was properly labeled and used during the experimental burns. All the data were stored in Excel 2007 and processed in the JMP 10.0 software. The fire behavior during the experimental burns was compared with simulations using the software Eucalyptus Fire Safety System 1.0 and the BehavePlus 5.0 in order to evaluate their efficiency. The total fuel load collected weighted 117,23 kg with an average moisture content of 35,40%, equivalent to an average of 16,68 t/ha of dry fuel load. The Bamboo Fields were defined as the vegetation type most susceptible to forest fires occurrence and were the fire is more intense and difficult to control. It is expected that the results from this work can contribute to the knowledge of the fire behavior in the study area and, therefore, to the protection of this important patch of Atlantic Forest in the state of Sergipe. / Os incêndios florestais são um dos problemas ambientais mais graves do mundo atual, sendo originados, principalmente, a partir do mau uso do fogo em atividades agropecuárias. Estudos comprovam que eles têm interferência direta na redução da biodiversidade e na emissão de gases de efeito estufa, além de alterar negativamente a fertilidade do solo. Isso fica ainda mais grave, quando as propriedades agropecuárias fazem fronteira com áreas naturais protegidas. Em Sergipe, remanescentes de Mata Atlântica dividem espaços consideráveis com monoculturas de cana-de-açúcar, nas quais, todos os anos, são realizados processos de queima controlada antes da colheita. Este emprego do fogo é responsável por problemas ambientais todos os anos. Diante disso, pesquisadores têm se dedicado a compreender os principais fatores que contribuem para a maior ocorrência de incêndios florestais, buscando assim, estabelecer mecanismos de predição do comportamento do fogo e, consequentemente, estabelecer programas de prevenção mais eficientes. O presente trabalho se insere nessa perspectiva, tendo por objetivo quantificar o material combustível superficial e avaliar o comportamento do fogo em diferentes fitofisionomias do Refúgio de Vida Silvestre Mata do Junco, Capela, Sergipe, gerando assim, conhecimentos importantes para a Ciência, além de informações úteis para a elaboração de um plano operacional de prevenção e combate aos incêndios florestais na região. A área de estudo, com aproximadamente 897 ha, apresenta um relevante interesse ecológico, sob a qual é possível encontrar espécies raras e endêmicas como o Callicebus coimbrai (macaco-guigó), ou ainda, nascentes de riachos importantes para o abastecimento da região, como as do Riacho Lagartixo, por exemplo. Como metodologia, foram realizadas incursões a campo de Janeiro a Outubro de 2015, onde foram coletadas 60 amostras de material combustível superficial, classificadas de acordo com o modelo de propagação do fogo estabelecido por Rothermel (1972), em três distintas fitofisionomias: Bambuzal, Mata Fechada e Área de Transição. Também foram mensurados o teor de umidade do material combustível e as variáveis climáticas temperatura e umidade relativa do ar no momento da coleta. Todo o material coletado foi devidamente etiquetado e utilizado para as queimas experimentais. Os dados obtidos foram armazenados em planilhas do Excel 2007 e processados no software JMP 10.0. O comportamento do fogo durante as queimas experimentais foi comparado com simulações utilizando-se os softwares Eucalyptus Fire Safety System 1.0 e o BehavePlus 5.0, a fim de avaliar a eficiência dos mesmos. No total, foram coletados 117,23 Kg de material combustível úmido nos ambientes selecionados para esse estudo, que apresentou teor de umidade médio de 35,40%, o equivalente a uma média de 16,70 t/ha de material combustível seco. As áreas de Bambuzal foram definidas como as mais susceptíveis à ocorrência de incêndios florestais, sendo estes de elevada intensidade e difícil controle. As Áreas de Transição também apresentaram valores elevados de velocidade de propagação do fogo. No entanto, a baixa carga de material combustível nessas áreas sugere um padrão de incêndios de curta duração. Espera-se que os resultados obtidos através desse trabalho possam contribuir significativamente para o conhecimento de parâmetros inerentes ao comportamento do fogo na área de estudo e, consequentemente, para a proteção desse importante fragmento de Mata Atlântica do estado de Sergipe.