PiroPinus was developed in Portugal as a decision support-tool to prescribed burning use in Pinus pinaster. Although tailored for site-specific conditions, it is empirically-based and so its performance outside the environmental range of development is uncertain. The objective of the present study is to test PiroPinus 2.2 utilities to define prescriptions, implement and evaluate prescribed burning for fire hazard reduction in Pinus halepensis plantations. The study site was located in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, one of the most fire-prone areas of Southern Italy. The experimental design consisted of 3 burn plots (BU), 0.2 ha in size, and 2 controls (CO). In all plots the plantation presented high fire risk. Pre-burn surface fuels (5.2±1.3 t ha-1 of litter, and flammable Ampelodesmos mauritanicus) and elevated fuels (dominated by Erica arborea) presented horizontal and vertical continuity. Objectives for the burn were: (1) reduce surface fuels; (2) create vertical discontinuity. PiroPinus was used as a reference guide to define burning windows. All plots were burned in May 2009. Most of burning parameters fell within the PiroPinus prescriptions. Fire behaviour was assessed with a microplot scale approach. Observed average surface litter moisture was 17%; rate of spread 0.22±0.06 m min-1; flame length range 0.2- 1.0 m; fireline intensity 52±10 kW m-1. PiroPinus provided an accurate estimate of observed values: 17%, 0.25 m min-1, 0.5 m and 48 kW m-1 respectively. Prescribed burning objectives were achieved to some extent. According to the PiroPinus fire interpretation table the burn was conducted at the upper limit of moisture conditions. In fact, in summer 2009 surface fuels in BU were reduced only in part. Major changes were observed in elevated fuels whose cover decreased from 58% to 3%; the vertical continuity was remarkably reduced. Finally, PiroPinus was used to model post-treatment fire behaviour under different weather conditions. It predicted a remarkable mitigation of fire behaviour in BU vs. CO for all weather scenarios. Under the 97.5th scenario, simulated rate of spread, flame length and intensity in BU were respectively 75%, 31% and 12% of the CO values. PiroPinus resulted a useful tool to support prescribed burning in Pinus halepensis plantations of the Cilento Park. Despite constraints (research issues to address are outlined), this study showed that experimental data can be used to improve the performance of PiroPinus, extending its use as a reference guide for Mediterranean pine forests other than Pinus pinaster.

Using PiroPinus to assess fuel reduction effectiveness of prescribed burning in a Pinus halepensis plantation in Southern Italy

ESPOSITO, Assunta;RUTIGLIANO, Flora Angela;STRUMIA, Sandro;
2010

Abstract

PiroPinus was developed in Portugal as a decision support-tool to prescribed burning use in Pinus pinaster. Although tailored for site-specific conditions, it is empirically-based and so its performance outside the environmental range of development is uncertain. The objective of the present study is to test PiroPinus 2.2 utilities to define prescriptions, implement and evaluate prescribed burning for fire hazard reduction in Pinus halepensis plantations. The study site was located in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, one of the most fire-prone areas of Southern Italy. The experimental design consisted of 3 burn plots (BU), 0.2 ha in size, and 2 controls (CO). In all plots the plantation presented high fire risk. Pre-burn surface fuels (5.2±1.3 t ha-1 of litter, and flammable Ampelodesmos mauritanicus) and elevated fuels (dominated by Erica arborea) presented horizontal and vertical continuity. Objectives for the burn were: (1) reduce surface fuels; (2) create vertical discontinuity. PiroPinus was used as a reference guide to define burning windows. All plots were burned in May 2009. Most of burning parameters fell within the PiroPinus prescriptions. Fire behaviour was assessed with a microplot scale approach. Observed average surface litter moisture was 17%; rate of spread 0.22±0.06 m min-1; flame length range 0.2- 1.0 m; fireline intensity 52±10 kW m-1. PiroPinus provided an accurate estimate of observed values: 17%, 0.25 m min-1, 0.5 m and 48 kW m-1 respectively. Prescribed burning objectives were achieved to some extent. According to the PiroPinus fire interpretation table the burn was conducted at the upper limit of moisture conditions. In fact, in summer 2009 surface fuels in BU were reduced only in part. Major changes were observed in elevated fuels whose cover decreased from 58% to 3%; the vertical continuity was remarkably reduced. Finally, PiroPinus was used to model post-treatment fire behaviour under different weather conditions. It predicted a remarkable mitigation of fire behaviour in BU vs. CO for all weather scenarios. Under the 97.5th scenario, simulated rate of spread, flame length and intensity in BU were respectively 75%, 31% and 12% of the CO values. PiroPinus resulted a useful tool to support prescribed burning in Pinus halepensis plantations of the Cilento Park. Despite constraints (research issues to address are outlined), this study showed that experimental data can be used to improve the performance of PiroPinus, extending its use as a reference guide for Mediterranean pine forests other than Pinus pinaster.
2010
978-989-20-2157-7
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11591/177261
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