Glossary, Abbreviations and Acronyms - Wildland Fuel Fundamentals and Applications - page 181

Fire model. A set of algorithms that simulate an aspect of fire behavior or fire
effects.
Fire modeling systems. Specially designed fire modeling software applications
built to simulate fire behavior and effects using a combination of fire models.
First order fire effects model (FOFEM). A computer model to predict the
immediate effects of a fire, specifically tree mortality, fuel consumption, and
soil heating.
Fixed area plots (FAP). Using plot frames of fixed areas to sample fuel loadings.
Flammability. Ability of a fuel particle, type, component, or layer to ignite and
combust
Fuel characteristics classification system (FCCS). A fuel classification system
that offers consistently organized fuels data along with numerical inputs to fire
behavior, fire effects, and dynamic vegetation models
Fuel loading models (FLMs). A classification of fuelbeds where the classes were
identified using statistical clustering of estimates of smoke and soil heating
simulated from the field-sampled loadings of the eight fuel components that
comprise each fuelbed.
Fuel treatment longevity. The length of time (yrs) it takes for a fuel treatment to
become ineffective.
Geographical information system (GIS). Computer software that allows for the
spatial representation of various entities.
Herbs. All forbs, grasses, sedges, rushes, ferns and other non-woody vascular
plant lifeforms. Mosses, lichens, and other non-vascular plants can be added
depending on management objectives.
LANDFIRE. A national U.S. project to develop fine scale GIS layers for fire
management
Leaf area index (LAI). The total surface area of all the leaves or needles for all the
plants in plot divided by the area of that plot (m m −1 )
LiDAR. A remote sensing technology that measures distance by hitting a target
with a laser and analyzing various aspects of the reflected light. LiDAR is a
portmanteau of “light” and “radar”
Loading. The mass of burnable organic biomass per unit area for any fuel component.
Log. a downed dead fuel particle that is larger than 8 cm (3 in) in diameter.
National Wildfire Coordination Group (NWCG). A group of fire professionals
from various government agencies in the US that decide on the standards and
terminology for fire research and management.
Particle density. The dry mass per unit volume of a fuel particle often expressed
with the units kg m −3 .
Perpendicular distance sampling (PDS). A fuel sampling method for coarse
woody debris that uses probablility proportional to volume concepts.
Photoload sampling (photoload). Visual estimation of fuel component loading
using a set of pictures that show graduated fuel loadings where the conditions in
observed in the field are matched with the most appropriate picture.