Scott and Burgan fuel model

Description

The Scott and Burgan 40 fuel model is an expanded classification system developed to enhance and refine the original Anderson 13 fuel models. This system, created by Joe H. Scott and Robert E. Burgan in 2005 [1], introduces 40 different fuel models to better capture the variety of vegetation types and fuel conditions found in wildland and wildland-urban interface areas across North America. These models address limitations of the Anderson system by incorporating a wider range of fuel characteristics, such as dynamic grass models that account for seasonal changes in fuel moisture. The Scott and Burgan models categorize fuel types into several groups: grass, shrub, timber understory, timber litter, and slash-blowdown. This improved classification allows for more precise fire behavior predictions, supporting better fire management and risk assessment in diverse landscapes.

Firebench dataset content

Variable name in dataset	Unit	Standard Variable Name	type	Source
dead_fuel_extinction_moisture	ft	fuel_moisture_extinction	float64	[1]
fuel_bed_depth	ft	fuel_height	float64	[1]
fuel_load_1h	ton acre-1	fuel_load_dry_1h	float64	[1]
fuel_load_10h	ton acre-1	fuel_load_dry_10h	float64	[1]
fuel_load_100h	ton acre-1	fuel_load_dry_100h	float64	[1]
fuel_load_live_herb	ton acre-1	fuel_load_dry_live_herb	float64	[1]
fuel_load_live_woody	ton acre-1	fuel_load_dry_live_woody	float64	[1]
fuel_model_code			object	[1]
fuel_model_type			object	[1]
heat_content	BTU lb-1	fuel_heat_content	float64	[1]
sav_ratio_dead_1h	ft-1	fuel_surface_area_volume_ratio_dead_1h	float64	[1]
sav_ratio_live_herb	ft-1	fuel_surface_area_volume_ratio_live_herb	float64	[1]
sav_ratio_live_woody	ft-1	fuel_surface_area_volume_ratio_live_woody	float64	[1]

Usage

Import the Anderson fuel model data using FireBench with:

import firebench.tools as ft
fuel_data = ft.import_scott_burgan_40_fuel_model()

The data is stored in the dictionnary fuel_data. The keys are the standard variable names and the values are numpy array associated with pint unit.

Compatibility with fire models

Compatibility levels:

• Full: The data contained in the fuel model covers all the fuel input needed by the fire model

• Partial: The data contained in the fuel model covers some of the fuel input needed by the fire model

• None: The data contained in the fuel model covers none of the fuel input needed by the fire model

Fire model	Category	Compatibility level
Rothermel_SFIRE	ROS vegetation	Full
Balbi_2022_fixed_SFIRE	ROS vegetation	Partial
Hamada_1	ROS urban	None
Hamada_2	ROS urban	None

References

[1] Scott, J. H. (2005). Standard fire behavior fuel models: a comprehensive set for use with Rothermel’s surface fire spread model. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.