Fuel and fire behavior prediction in big sagebrush

Relationships between height of big sagebrush and crown area, fuel loading, bulk density, size distribution of foliage and stemwood, and fraction dead stemwood are presented. Based upon these relationships, modeled rate-of-fire spread and fireline intensity are shown for sagebrush ranging in height from 20 to 120 cm and in coverage from 10 to 40 percent. Verification of predicted fire behavior and applications are discussed.