Canadian Mass Fire Experiment, 1989.
Canadian Mass Fire Experiment, 1989.
(1082 K)
Quintiere, J. G.
NISTIR 4444; 63 p. November 1990.
Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 2,
67-78, April/June 1993.
Sponsor:
Department of Defense, Washington, DC
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB91-143305
Keywords:
mass fires; energy transfer; forest fires; smoke
emissions; natural resources
Abstract:
Working with Forestry Canada and the Ontario Ministry of
Natural Resources, the Defense Nuclear Agency carried
out an extensively instrumented experiment of a
prescribed burn in forest debris to simulate conditions
of a mass fire. In addition to the Canadian team, a
multi-institutional US team made both ground and
airborne measurements of the fire and smoke conditions.
The fire reported on was in Hill Township, Ontario and
covered nearly 480 in its overrall burning area. Both
flaming and smoldering modes contributed to the energy
and combustion products of this fire. Significant
quantities measured and determined included estimations
of energy release rate, emission factors for smoke
particulates and species, ground level wind and
temperatures, and aspects of cloud dynamics and cloud
particles. The fire caused a capping cloud to form and
reach a level of 6.5 km. Rain, snow, hail and lightning
were reported along with ground level fire whirls and
water spouts on the adjoining lakes. Fire spread rates
reached 1 m/s and fire induced winds reached 12 m/s.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899