Modelling and analyzing the surface fire behaviour in Hyrcanian forest of Iran

Surface fires in the Hyrcanian Forests of Iran exhibit distinct behaviors depending on litter type and environmental factors. Beech (Fagus orientalis L.) litter results in the largest burned area, while maple (Acer velutinum L.) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) litters influence fire spread parallelly and perpendicularly to contour lines, respectively. Fire behavior also varies with slope gradient, showing irregular increases in burned area as slopes steepen. Litter thickness significantly affects fire direction, particularly with hornbeam litter. The study used mathematical models in Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 to simulate surface fires over 30 minutes, analyzing parameters like wind velocity, slope, and litter characteristics associated with four tree species: beech, Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica C.A.M), maple, and hornbeam.

Aghajani, H., Fallah, A., & Fazlollah Emadian, S. (2014). Modelling and analyzing the surface fire behaviour in Hyrcanian forest of Iran. Journal of Forest Science, 60(9), 353–362. https://doi.org/10.17221/97/2013-jfs