Effects of Fuel Removal on the Flammability of Surface Fuels in <i>Betula platyphylla</i> in the Wildland–Urban Interface

Xintong Chen; Mingyu Wang; Baozhong Li; Lixuan Wang; Jibin Ning; Guang Yang; Hongzhou Yu

doi:10.3390/fire7070261

Fire (Jul 2024)

Effects of Fuel Removal on the Flammability of Surface Fuels in <i>Betula platyphylla</i> in the Wildland–Urban Interface

Xintong Chen,
Mingyu Wang,
Baozhong Li,
Lixuan Wang,
Jibin Ning,
Guang Yang,
Hongzhou Yu

Affiliations

Xintong Chen: Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northern Forest Fire Management Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Mingyu Wang: Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Baozhong Li: Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northern Forest Fire Management Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Lixuan Wang: Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northern Forest Fire Management Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Jibin Ning: Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northern Forest Fire Management Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Guang Yang: Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northern Forest Fire Management Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Hongzhou Yu: Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northern Forest Fire Management Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7070261
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 7
p. 261

Abstract

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This paper aimed to provide technical support for fuel management by exploring different strengths of fuel removal on the physical and chemical properties and flammability of Betula platyphylla forests in the wildland–urban interface. After investigating the northeastern region during the forest fire prevention period in May 2023, a typical WUI area was selected, and three different treatment strengths, combined with a control, were set up to carry out indoor and outdoor experiments for 27 weeks. Compared with previous studies, this study mainly investigated and analyzed the dynamic changes in the physical and chemical properties and fuel flammability after different intensities of treatments on a time scale. By processing and analyzing the data, the following results were obtained. Significant differences existed in the fuel loading of different time-lag fuels over time (p low-strength treatment > high-strength treatment > control check. In conclusion, different treatment intensities have significant effects on the flammability of the fuel, and the medium-strength treatment has the best effect. Considering the ecological and economic benefits, adopting the medium-strength treatment for the WUI to regulate the fuel is recommended.

Published in Fire

ISSN: 2571-6255 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Physics
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/fire

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