Prescribed Fire

Knowledge of fire ecology and management is required.

In-person classes with practical exercises.

Fulfill the necessary requirements for accreditation as a Controlled Fire Technician, in accordance with Order No. 7511/2014.

The syllabus of the discipline includes modules I, IV, V and VI of the Prescribed Fire Course regulated by the Technical Fire Regulation. (Order 7511/2014). The skills of modules II (Fire behavior) and III (Fire impacts) have already been acquired at the UC Ecology and Fire Management. The competences of module VII (Planning, execution and assessment of controlled fire in shrub and tree formations) are not part of the master’s course, but can be acquired through participation in burning operations, organized by ESAC.

Participation in these burns is voluntary and has no implications for the Prescribed Fire UC, being reserved for students who wish to be accredited as a Prescribed Fire Technician.

IMPORTANT NOTE: students who intend to be accredited in Prescribed Fire must necessarily enroll in the Prescribed Fire Course.

PROGRAM

Module I – Framework for the use of fire

Introduction
History of the use of fire
Purposes for the use of fire
Legal framework for the use of fire
Entities directly or indirectly involved in DFCI matters

Module IV – Operational implementation of controlled fire

Planning: strategic planning and planning of flaring operations
Execution: preparation, ignition techniques and fire conduction, timing of ignition, safety protocol
Burning team: tasks, responsibilities and dimension; control and aftermath; ignition equipment and tools
Evaluation and monitoring: immediate and medium term.

Module V – Decision support tools

Estimation of fuel load and moisture
Fire behavior characteristics
In fuel reduction and effects on trees
GIS (Geographic Information Systems) — its application in planning and analysis, and fire simulators (dynamic and static)
fuel mapping
Fire prescription guides (bush, pine, eucalyptus)
Use of the FLAMMAP system to optimize the areas to be treated
Interpretation of the meteorological risk of fire

Module VI – Preparation of the Controlled Fire Plan (PFC) and the Plan
Burning Operational (POQ)

Ability to implement the concepts taught
Preparation of a PFC in its various aspects
Simulation of operational burn plans, prepare previously prepared PFC POQs, using the models provided by ICNF, I.P

NAO

Fernandes P, Botelho H, Loureiro C. 2002. Manual de formação para a técnica do fogo controlado. UTAD, Vila-Real,

Fernandes, P., Loureiro, C., Botelho, H., 2012. PiroPinus: a spreadsheet application to guide prescribed burning operations in maritime pine forest. Comput. Electron. Agric. 81, 58-61.

Finney, M.A., 2002. Fire growth using minimum travel time methods. Canadian Journal of Forest Research-Revue Canadienne De Recherche Forestiere 32, 1420-1424.

Finney, M.A., 2003. Calculation of fire spread rates across random landscapes. Int. J. Wildland Fire 12, 167-174.

Finney, M.A., 2006. An overview of FlamMap fire modeling capabilities. In: Andrews, P.L., Butler, B.W. (Eds.), Fuels Management-How to Measure Success. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Portland, OR, pp. 213-220.

Finney, M.A., Brittain, S., Seli, R., 2004. Flammp. In. Systems for Environmental Management, US Bureau of Land Management.

Finney, M.A. et al .1998., Revised . Ogden, UT: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 47 p., . FARSITE: Fire Area Simulator-model development and evaluation.  4.

Nelson Jr, R.M., 2000. Prediction of diurnal change in 10-h fuel stick moisture content. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 30, 1071-1087.

Pinto A, Fernandes P, Loureiro C. 2014 Guia de fogo controlado em eucaliptal. GIFF-SA and University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real pp. 29

Scott, J.H., Burgan, R.E. 2005. Standard fire behavior fuel models: a comprehensive set for use with Rothermel’s surface fire spread model.  US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station 153. 72 p.

Van Wagner C. (1987. Development and structure of the Canadian forest fire weather index system. Petawawa National Forestry Institute, Ontário.

Van Wagner, C. 1977. Conditions for the start and spread of crown fire. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 7.