The Bee Fire: a case study validation of BEHAVE in chaparral fuels

David R. Weise; A. Gelobter; J. Regelbrugge; J. Millar

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The Bee Fire: a case study validation of BEHAVE in chaparral fuels

Formally Refereed

Authors:

David R. Weise, A. Gelobter, J. Regelbrugge, J. Millar

Year:

2002

Type:

Full Proceedings

Station:

Pacific Southwest Research Station

Source:

Association for Fire Ecology Miscellaneous Publication No. 1: 114-120

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Abstract

The Bee Fire burned 9,620 acres of grass and chaparral in the San Bernardino National Forest in southern California from June 29 to July 2, 1996. Rate of spread data were determined from successive fire perimeters and compared with rate of spread predicted by the Rothermel rate of spread model using fuel model 4 (heavy brush) and a custom fuel model for chamise chaparral. A linear relationship between observed and predicted rate of spread was found (R² = 0.60). The two fuel models performed similarly with only a difference in scale. Observed spread rates were approximately 80 percent of the spread rates predicted with fuel model 4 and 380 percent of the spread rates predicted with the custom model. The regression models did not fit 4 ofthe 28 observations, but no apparent cause for the lack of fit was found.

Citation

Weise, D.R.; Gelobter, A.; Regelbrugge, J.; Millar, J. 2002. The Bee Fire: a case study validation of BEHAVE in chaparral fuels. Association for Fire Ecology Miscellaneous Publication No. 1: 114-120.