Canopy Fuels in 3D for Nine Conifer Species

Laser scanned trees for Subalpine fir, Ponderosa pine, Grand fir, and Douglas Fir
Laser scanned trees for Subalpine fir, Ponderosa pine, Grand fir, and Douglas Fir

New fire models simulate fire in three-dimensions and demand spatially explicit measurements of forest properties such as tree crowns. Theoretical research has shown that crown fire behavior is strongly influenced by how fuels are distributed within crowns. Researchers at the FireCenter are using a terrestrial laser scanner to image hundreds of conifer specimens in the Inland Northwest to derive accurate crown models and to characterize within-crown fuel variability and clumping. Together with biometricians, we are developing models to predict fuels accurately for fire models.

map of Sampling sites across the Inland Northwest
Sampling sites across the Inland Northwest