CONSUME Consumption Module

Description & Model Info | Module Info | Current Version(s) | Change Log

Description

The CONSUME consumption module is based on CONSUME version 3.0 consumption model, developed by Roger Ottmar, U.S. Forest Service FERA Team.  Fuels are organized into six strata: canopy, shrub, non-woody vegetation, downed woody fuels, a litter-lichen-moss layer, and ground fuels.  Each stratum is further broken down by ecological region and land cover type.  Fuel consumption predictions are based on generalized linear regression models developed from empirical data collected from the western, southern, and boreal regions of the United States from 1994 to 2003.  Partitioning between flaming and smoldering components is accomplished using pre-defined partitioning factors as a function of fuelbed.  Both natural and activity fires are now handled by the module.

Model references:

Ottmar, R.D.; Prichard, S.J.; Vihnanek, R.E.; Sandberg, D.V. 2006. Modification and validation of fuel consumption models for shrub and forested lands in the Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Rockes, Midwest, Southeast, and Alaska. Final report, JFSP Project 98-1-9-06.

Ottmar, R.D.; Sandberg, D.V.; Bluhm, A. 2003. Biomass consumption and carbon pools. Poster. In: Galley, K.E.M., Klinger, R.C.; Sugihara, N.G. (eds.) Proceedings of Fire Ecology, Prevention, and Management. Misc. Pub. 13, Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station.

Model information contact:

Roger Ottmar, USFS, see contacts page

Model information link:

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/fera/research/smoke/consume/index.shtml

Module Info

Invoked as:

WILDFIRE_CONSUMPTION = CONSUME
PRESCRIBED_CONSUMPTION = CONSUME
OTHER_CONSUMPTION = CONSUME

in configuration ini

Known issues:

The newest version of the CONSUME v3.0 consumption model allows for the calculation of fuel consumption and emissions from activity fires.  However, each time the activity subroutines are called for an activity fire, CONSUME produces three "divide by zero" warnings to standard output.

Consume was designed to work with fuel bed information (FCCS), but BlueSky only provides fuel loading information at the consumption step.  If the Consume module is passed fuelbed information, either directly or as a FCCS fuelbed id number, it will use that information.  If the Consume module is passed fuel loadings only (e.g., when any non-FCCS fuel loading module is used), Consume will make several assumptions to create the fuelbed information.

Notes:

If canopy fraction is not set by the user (through the ini file), canopy fraction is set to 0.6 for wildfires, 0.4 for wildland use fires, 0.4 for "Unknown" fires greater than 150 acres, and 0.0 for all other fire types.

One of 6 pre-defined fuel moisture profiles are selected based on the value of fuel_moisture_1khr.  These profiles are duplicated in the FEPS module.

Litter density is assumed to be 8 tons/acre/inch.

Total rot is equally divided between the three rot layers defined by CONSUME.

Data fields used: 

fuel_moisture_1khr, fccs_number (if FCCS fuel loading is ued), mduff (duff fuel moisture), canopyFraction, fuel_1hr, fuel_10hr, fuel_100hr, fuel_1khr, fuel_10khr,fuel_gt10khr, canopy, shrub, grass, rot, litter, duff

Related modules:

Authors:

• Stilley, Craig, Pryden and Unger, STI;  Solomon, AirFire;  see contacts page
  

Current Module Version(s)

Version 1 - stable

5/29/09

• Included standard in BlueSky v3.0 and later

Change Log

Version 1:    5/29/09

included as default in BlueSky v. 3.0 and later

Version 2:    3/24/11

included as default in BlueSky v. 3.2 and later, includes revisions to utilize the new python-based Consume v3.0, and the new functionality therein