A new method for performing smouldering combustion field experiments in peatlands and rich-organic soils

Abstract

19Smouldering ground fires have severe environmental implications. Their main effects are the release of 20 large amounts of carbon to the atmosphere with loses of organic soil and its biota. Quantitative data on 21 the behaviour of smouldering wildfires are very scarce and are needed to understand its ecological effects, 22 to validate fuel consumption and smouldering propagation models and to develop danger-rating systems. 23 We present, for the first time, a methodology for conducting smouldering experiments in field conditions. 24This method provides key data to investigate smouldering combustion dynamics, acquire fire behaviour 25 metrics and obtain indicators for ecological effects of smouldering fires. It is to be applied in all types of 26 undisturbed soils. The experimental protocol is based on a non-electric ignition source and the monitoring 27 system relies on combining both point and surface specific temperature measurements. The methodology 28 has been developed and applied by means of large series of replicate experiments in highly organic soils 29 at the forest-grassland treeline of the Peruvian Andes. The soil tested exhibited weak ignition conditions. 30However, transition to oxidation phase was observed, with smouldering combustion during 9 h at 15-cm 31 depth and residence times at temperatures above dehydration of ~22 h. We present a method for conducting smouldering experiments in field conditions by which data on fire 35 behaviour and ecological effects of ground fires are obtained at real scale. The methodology is tested at 36 the forest-grassland treeline of the Peruvian Andes. We observe smouldering during 9 h at 15-cm depth. 37 Introduction 38Peatlands are a key component of the global carbon pool. They cover only 2-3% of the 39 global terrestrial surface but store over 25% of the world's soil carbon (Yu 2012)

Spatially resolved horizontal spread in smouldering peat combining infrared and visual diagnostics

“…Spread rates in the literature were resolved at point locations only for which a number of thermocouples were employed [17]. Infrared (IR) diagnostics have been used for continuous monitoring of smouldering experiments [16][17][18][19][20]. However, spread rates of smouldering along with collapse of overhang have not been previously investigated using thermal infrared imagery.…”

Incendios en ecosistemas del norte de Suramérica: avances en la ecología del fuego tropical en Colombia, Ecuador y Perú

“…En zonas altoandinas se ha encontrado que los suelos contienen altos niveles de materia orgánica (Román-Cuesta et al 2011) y son susceptibles a los fuegos, especialmente en periodos de alta sequía donde pueden presentar ignición y propagación de fuegos subterráneos (Pastor et al 2017), causando enormes pérdidas de carbono en el suelo (Román-Cuesta et al 2011.…”

GAMBUT field experiment of peatland wildfires in Sumatra: from ignition to spread and suppression

“…The origin and end of the fires (essential elements of fire dynamics analysis) in these studies were generally unknown. Pastor et al (2017) conducted systematic experiments in peatland in the Peruvian Andes, in plots of 50 × 50 cm. Even though the experimental location is in the field, this sample size is as small as laboratory scale.…”