Vegetation structure and fire weather influence variation in burn severity and fuel consumption during peatland wildfires

Davies, G.M.; Domènech, R.; Gray, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6785-0590; Johnson, P.C.D.. 2016 Vegetation structure and fire weather influence variation in burn severity and fuel consumption during peatland wildfires. Biogeosciences, 13 (2). 389-398. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-389-2016

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Official URL: http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/389/2016/

Abstract/Summary

Temperate peatland wildfires are of significant environmental concern but information on their environmental effects is lacking. We assessed variation in burn severity and fuel consumption within and between wildfires that burnt British moorlands in 2011 and 2012. We adapted the composite burn index (pCBI) to provide semi-quantitative estimates of burn severity. Pre- and post-fire surface (shrubs and graminoids) and ground (litter, moss, duff) fuel loads associated with large wildfires were assessed using destructive sampling and analysed using a generalised linear mixed model (GLMM). Consumption during wildfires was compared with published estimates of consumption during prescribed burns. Burn severity and fuel consumption were related to fire weather, assessed using the Canadian Fire Weather Index System (FWI System), and pre-fire vegetation type. pCBI varied 1.6 fold between, and up to 1.7 fold within, wildfires. pCBI was higher where moisture codes of the FWI System indicated drier fuels. Spatial variation in pre- and post-fire fuel load accounted for a substantial proportion of the variance in fuel loads. Average surface fuel consumption was a linear function of pre-fire fuel load. Average ground fuel combustion completeness could be predicted by the Buildup Index. Carbon release ranged between 0.36 and 1.00 kg C m−2. The flammability of ground fuel layers may explain the higher C release-rates seen for wildfires in comparison to prescribed burns. Drier moorland community types appear to be at greater risk of severe burns than blanket-bog communities.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-389-2016
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Watt
ISSN:	1726-4170
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	21 Jan 2016 11:30 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/512675

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-389-2016

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Watt

ISSN:

1726-4170

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment