Fuel types and consumption associated with smoke emissions in southwestern U.S. fuels

A Department of Defense-funded study is currently examining fuels and smoke emissions from prescribed burning on military installations in the southwestern U.S. Chaparral and Emory oak savanna/woodland fuel types were selected for this study located at Ft. Hunter-Liggett and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and Ft. Huachuca in Arizona. While these fuel types have been previously sampled, the quantity and resolution of data are still limited and emissions information is dated. Nine different fuel types were selected (6 chaparral, 2 Emory oak, 1 masticated mesquite) from the three installations. 49 fuel beds from these fuel types were burned in the combustion laboratory in Missoula, MT followed by three prescribed burns at Vandenberg and Ft. Huachuca and 1 attempted prescribed burn at Ft. Hunter-Liggett. The laboratory fuels were drier and more compact than the natural fuel beds in the prescribed burns resulting in differing fuel consumption. Description of the fuel types examined, consumption of the laboratory and field fuel beds, and comparison with existing fuel descriptions and models will be presented.