Pacific Northwest Research Station

Title: Predicting duff consumption from prescribed burns on conifer clearcuts in western Oregon and western Washington.

Author: Little, Susan N.; Ottmar, Roger D.; Ohmann, Janet L.

Date: 1986

Source: Res. Pap. PNW-RP-362. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 29 p

Station ID: RP-PNW-362

Description: Duff consumption by fire was studied on 15 cable-yarded clearcut units in western Oregon and western Washington. Equations are presented that predict duff consumption (in depth reduction and weight loss) from loading, consumption, and moisture of large fuels, and days since significant precipitation. When more than 25 days elapsed since 1.3 cm rainfall, the effect of large fuel loading on duff consumption diminished. Duff consumption was dependent on the diameter reduction of large fuels when there had been no rain for at least 25 days. The results indicated that duff consumption can be reduced by removing large fuel before the burn, scheduling the burn under moist conditions, or both. Methods are demonstrated to prescribe the proper level of fuel removal and moisture regime at time of burn to achieve a given level of duff consumption.

Keywords: Duff consumption, duff reduction, fire effects, prescribed burning, duff moisture, mineral soils, clearcuts

View and Print this Publication (1.09 MB)

Publication Notes: 

• We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
• This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.
• You may send email to pnw_pnwpubs@fs.fed.us to request a hard copy of this publication. (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)

 Get the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat reader or Acrobat Reader for Windows with Search and Accessibility

Citation

Little, Susan N.; Ottmar, Roger D.; Ohmann, Janet L.  1986.  Predicting duff consumption from prescribed burns on conifer clearcuts in western Oregon and western Washington..   Res. Pap. PNW-RP-362. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 29 p.