Seasonal Variations of Live Moisture Content and Ignitability in the Ecotone Forest-Steppe of Northern-West Patagonia

BIANCHI, LUCAS O.; DEFOSSÉ, GUILLERMO EMILIO

Congreso; Wildfire 2011 - The 5th International Wildland Fire Conference; 2011

Cypress (Austrocedrus chilensis) and ñire (Nothofagus antarctica) are the two forest species dominant in the forest-steppe ecotone of the northwestern Patagonia. In this region occurs the largest number of fires and area burned of the country. Anthropic pressure is making this region more prone to wildfires. To manage these increasing risks and improve the wildland fires management, is key to understand the combustion characteristics of wildland fuels and plant moisture content is fundamental in this sense. Live fuel moisture content (LFMC) is critical in prediction of fire behaviour in vegetation types with a large load of living fuels. A better understanding of seasonal variation of LFMC and flammability could contribute to identify periods of more fire danger. We also studied poplar (Populus nigra), widely planted as a windbreak which potentially might be used as a firebreak.