Chemical and dispersal characteristics of particulate emissions from forest fires in Siberia

Abstract

Approximately 20 experimental fires were conducted on forest plots of 1-4 ha each in 2000-07 in two types of boreal forests in central Siberia, and 18 on 6 x 12-m plots in 2008-10. These experiments were designed to mimic wildfires under similar burning conditions. The fires were conducted in prescribed conditions including full documentation on pre-fire weather, pre-fire and post-fire forest fuels, fire intensities, and other biological, physical and chemical parameters. The amount of particulate matter emitted during a typical fire averaged 0.6 t ha-1 and ranged within 0.2-1.0 t ha-1 depending on burning conditions. Particulates accounted for ~1-7% of the total mass of the consumed biomass during a typical forest fire (10-30 t ha-1 based on our data from 2000-07). Most of the particulate matter consists of organic substances, 77% on average, with a range of 70-90%. Elemental carbon averaged 8%, with a range of 2-18%. Trace element compositions and amounts of particulates indicate that there was no actual difference in the element emissions sampled from the fires conducted in the two forest types (6-8% in larch forest and 8% in pine forest). Most of the particulate matter, 90-95%, consists of submicrometre and near-micrometre particles ~0.1-5 mm in diameter.

Citation

Samsonov, Y. N.; Ivanov, V. A.; McRae, D. J.; Baker, S. P. 2012. Chemical and dispersal characteristics of particulate emissions from forest fires in Siberia. International Journal of Wildland Fire. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF11038.