Fuel Models
Fuel Models are compilations of information about fuel types and characteristics used as datasets for fire behavior modeling. There are two commonly utilized sets. The “original” 13 fuel models published by Hal Anderson were used for many years for wildfire behavior modeling. The newer 40 fuel models published by Scott and Burgan offer more opportunities to match the fuel model to fuel characteristics observed in your prescribed burn unit.
Fire Behavior Models
Predicting or anticipating the behavior of fire in surface fuels is an essential aspect of prescribed fire planning and implementation. US prescribed fire practitioners typically utilize two systems to model fire behavior. Behave Plus is a long-established program that works well to model fire behavior at small scales. I find it very useful for private land burn plan development. It is relatively simple to use and can be very effective if you understand its menu structure and ensure you have selected settings appropriate for your modeling questions. The Interagency Fuels Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS: pronounced “if-T-diss”) is a more complex system that allows 2-dimensional spatial modeling. If using this system make sure the fuel models it selects are correct for your target area – the defaults pulled from Landfire won’t always match your conditions.
- Behave Plus 6.0 download site (free download to run on your computer)
- IFTDSS landing site (register for your account)
Basic instruction on how to use both Behave Plus and IFTDSS can be found on the Wildfire Learning Portal. Visit the portal and sign up for your free account. Look for the following online, self-paced courses:
- Behave Plus 6.0 Surface Fire
- Behave Plus 6.0 Prescribed Fire
- IFTDSS Overview
