Photoload: A method to estimate fuel loading
The Photoload method provides quick, accurate assessments of surface fuel loading.
The Photoload method involves using a series of photographs to estimate fuel loads for downed dead woody (1 hour, 10 hour, 100 hour, 1000 hour, masticated particles), cones, shrub, and herbaceous fuels. It can be used as an alternative to the planar intersect, or Brown's transect, method.
Estimates of fuel loadings in forest and rangeland ecosystems of the United States are critical for accurately predicting fire behavior and effects of alternative fuel and ecosystem restoration treatments. Accurately measuring surface fuel loadings in the field is difficult because it requires a complex integration of several sampling methods designed for implementation at disparate scales. The Photoload sampling technique was developed to quickly and accurately estimate loadings for surface fuel components using photographs that depict sequences of graduated fuel loadings by fuel component. The fuel components are the four size classes of downed dead woody (1 hour, 10 hour, 100 hour, 1000 hr), coarse and fine masticated, shrub, and herbaceous fuels.
The technique involves visually comparing fuel conditions observed in the field with Photoload sequences to estimate fuel loadings. Photoload sequences are a series of downward-looking and close-up oblique photographs depicting a sequence of graduated fuel loadings of synthetic fuelbeds for each of the fuel components. Photoload sequences were developed for common fuel components of the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, USA. The Photoload method can be used in other geographic areas, but new sequences may need to be created for fine woody, shrub, and herbaceous fuel components specific to that area. For more information on creating new photosequences for your area, see the "Photosequences" tab.
An example of a series of downward pointing pictures of graduated fuel loadings to estimate actual fuel loadings in the field.
Principal Investigators: Robert Keane and Sharon Hood
Funding Contributor: National Fire Plan
Project Years: 2005 - present
Printable Photosequences
There are five stand-alone, printable Photoload fuel sequences available. The original publication includes the 1-hr, 10-hr, and 100-hr sequences, plus additional photosequences for coarse woody debris, shrub, and herb fuel types. An additional publication includes the masticated and cone fuel sequences.
1 hour fuel sequence10 hour fuel sequence100 hour fuel sequence
Masticated fuel sequence Cone fuel sequence
Develop Your Own Photosequence
The Photoload technique has been implemented into multiple inventory and fuel monitoring projects worldwide. However, the original set of photo sequences are somewhat limited in that the fine woody fuel loading sequences were created using only Douglas-fir woody particles, and only seven shrub and four herbaceous species that are common to the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains are available for estimating shrub and herbaceous loading. To increase the accuracy and functionality of the Photoload method in other geographic areas, new sequences must be created for more localized fine woody, shrub, and herbaceous fuel components specific to that area. This report details a procedure on how to create a set of Photoload sequences in the field with minimal effort.
- Chris M. Stalling, Robert E. Keane. 2020. Creating photographic loading sequences in the field for the photoload sampling technique
- Chris M. Stalling, Robert E. Keane. 2021. Simple, fast, and cheap: A new photoload sequence building technique for fuel load estimates
People
Principal Investigators
-
Person
Robert E. Keane, PhD
Emeritus Scientisthttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/robert.e.keane -
Person
Sharon M. Hood, PhD
Research Ecologisthttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/sharon.hood
Project Contacts
Collaborators
- Missoula Technology and Development Program
- Lolo National Forest
Funding Contributor
- National Fire Plan
Publications
The following publications provide information on (1) the standard sampling protocol that uses Photoload sequences to estimate fuel loading in the field, (2) the methods used to create the Photoload sequences, (3) a training guide to help users calibrate visual estimates, (4) a guide on how to create Photoload sequences in the field, (5) a Photoload supplement for masticated fuels and cones, and (6-7) comprehensive evaluations of fuel sampling techniques.
- Robert E. Keane, Laura J. Dickinson. 2007. The photoload sampling technique: estimating surface fuel loadings from downward-looking photographs of synthetic fuelbeds
- Robert E. Keane, Laura J. Dickinson. 2007. Development and evaluation of the photoload sampling technique
- Violet Holley, Robert E. Keane. 2010. A visual training tool for the Photoload sampling technique
- Chris M. Stalling, Robert E. Keane. 2020. Creating photographic loading sequences in the field for the photoload sampling technique
- Sharon M. Hood, Sarah Flanary, Chris M. Stalling. 2024. Estimating masticated and cone fuel loads using the Photoload method
- Pamela G. Sikkink, Robert E. Keane. 2008. A comparison of five sampling techniques to estimate surface fuel loading in montane forests
- Robert E. Keane, Kathy Gray. 2013. Comparing three sampling techniques for estimating fine woody down dead biomass