Lesson 3 - Input Methods self-study - FireLesson 3 - Input Methods self-study Beh avePlus version 3.0 Lesson 3 - In put Methods December 4, 2005 2 Click the Ok button at the bottom

Introduction There are several ways to supply input to the BehavePlus program. Values can be typed directly into the input field, a choice can be made from a list of valid input values, a range of values can be specified, and for some variables a selection can be made from a list of common choices. Variables are described, and in some cases diagrams are available to help define input.

In this lesson, you will use what you learned in lesson 2 to load a new worksheet then enter input in various ways and save the filled-in Worksheet as a Run. In lesson 4 you will do the calculations.

Objectives 1. Learn the various ways to enter inputs on a worksheet2. Know how to obtain inputs for fuels, weather, and topography3. Save a Worksheet with inputs as a Run

Open a Worksheet BehavePlus automatically loads the BasicStart.bpw Worksheet at startup. Ignore that for now as you can open multiple Worksheets at the same time.

� Select the File > New command.

� Expand the Example Worksheets folder and select the SurfaceBasic.bpw worksheet and click the Ok button.

� Type "Lesson #3 - Input Methods" into the Description text box.

Selecting Input Values for

Discrete Variables

Discrete variables are those for which only specific, discrete values are allowed. For example, a fuel model of 2.3 doesn't make sense. And spotting source location can be designated by only four values.

� Click on the Fuel Model (Guide) button to open the “Input Guide” dialog box.

See RMRS-GTR-153 concern-ing the expanded set of fuel models.

All options for discrete variables are listed in the center pane of the Input Guide dialog box. Numbers under the Value heading correspond to the fuel model numbers.

� Select Timber with grass and understory (Fuel Model 2) from the list.

Lesson 3 - Input Methods self-study

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BehavePlus version 3.0 Lesson 3 - Input Methods

� Click the Ok button at the bottom of the “Input Guide” dialog box.

The value “2” is now in the Fuel Model text box, as shown below.

What is a Fuel Model A fuel model is a set of numerical values that describes a fuel type for the mathematical model that predicts spread rate and intensity (Rothermel 1972). The parameters that can be varied in a fuel model are:

• loading for each fuel particle diameter size class, lb./ft2• surface-area-to-volume ratio for each size class, ft2/ft3• fuel bed depth, ft.• heat content of fuel, Btu/lb.• dead fuel moisture of extinction, percent.

BehavePlus comes with the following pre-loaded fuel models.• The original 13 stylized Fire Behavior Prediction System fuel models. (Ander-son 1982)• The expanded set of 40 standard fuel models. (Burgan and Scott 2004)

In addition a palmetto-gallberry fuel option estimates fuel parameters from vegetation characteristics. (Hough and Albini 1978)

Entering Input Values for

Continuous Variables

Continuous variables can have any value within an acceptable range. For example, 1-h fuel moisture can be assigned a value of 6.5. A range of values can be entered for continuous variables by entering the starting value, ending value, and the step size.

� Click the 1-h Moisture (Guide) button to open the “Input Guide” dialog box.

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Lesson 3 - Input Methods BehavePlus version 3.0

� Type “3” in the From text box.

Note that the range for valid inputs for the From and Thru text boxes is shown above the text boxes. In this case 1% - 60% is the valid range for 1-h moisture values.

� The Tab or Enter keys takes you to the next text box.

� Type “15” in the Thru text box.

� Type “3” as the Step.

The Step indicates the increment that will be used for values that will be automatically entered between the From value and the Thru value.

� Click the Ok button on the “Input Guide” dialog box.

Your Worksheet should now look like this.

Entering Input Values

Directly on the Worksheet

Input values can be typed directly into worksheet input fields. Single or multiple values can be entered. Multiple values can be separated by either spaces or commas.

� Type “6” in the 10-h Moisture text box.

� Type “7” in the 100-h Moisture text box.

Fuel Moistures Fuel moisture content is a critical variable in predicting fire behavior. Fuel models can consist of as many as three dead and two live classes of fuel.

The Fine Dead Fuel Moisture

Tool is available from the

BehavePlus Tools menu.

Dead fuels are categorized according to timelag, based on the length of time required for a fuel particle to change moisture by a specified amount when subjected to a change in its environment. Fire dead fuel less than one-fourth inch in diameter comprises the 1-hour timelag (1-h) class. This includes needles, leaves, cured herbaceous plants, and fine dead stems. Dead fuel one-fourth to 1 inch in diameter is 10-h; 1- to 3-inch fuel is

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100-h. Fuels larger than 3 inches in diameter are not included in the calculations for surface fire rate of spread and intensity.

See Lesson 11 for more on understanding and building fuel models.

Live fuels are classified as either herbaceous or woody. Woody fuel includes shrub foliage and twigs less than one-fourth inch in diameter. Herbaceous fuel includes non-woody plants such as grasses and forbs. If a fuel model is “dynamic,” a portion of the herbaceous fuel based on its moisture content, is considered dead. When the live fuel moisture is low, it burns and contributes to the rate of fire spread. When the moisture reaches a critical level, however, the live fuel does not burn, but continues to act as a heat sink, lowering the rate of spread. Some of the 40 expanded set of fuel models are dynamic. If a fuel model is “dynamic,” a portion of the live herbaceous fuel load, based on its moisture content, is considered dead.

Using the Choices Button to

Select Input Values

A list of common choices is offered for some continuous variables.

� Click on the Live Herbaceous Moisture (Guide) button.

Live Herbaceous Moisture is a continuous variable. Values within the specified range (30-300%) are valid. Scroll through the mini-browser Help pane and review the descriptions of key live fuel moistures.

� Click on the Choices button to display the “Live Herbaceous Moisture” dialog box.

� Select 200% Mature Foliage… from the list.

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� Click the Ok button in the “Live Herbaceous Moisture” dialog box.

The value 200 is now in the input field. Values are not required for every fuel moisture category. In this example, note that the Live Woody Moisture text box is shaded blue. This indicates that a value is not required for this variable. There is no live woody fuel in fuel model 2.

� Type “5” in the Midflame Wind Speed text box.

Help Pane Guidance for Input Descriptions of variables and guidance for input are given in the right hand “Help” pane. In this example, we will look at “Help” pane guidance provided for choosing the appropriate method for describing wind direction.

� Click on the Direction of Wind Vector (from upslope) (Guide) button.

Wind direction is covered in more detail in Lesson 5 – Direction Options.

A description of the wind direction variable and guidance for input are given in the “Help” pane. The SurfaceBasic Worksheet that we are using in this lesson is set to input wind directions as degrees clockwise from upslope. Scroll down in the “Help” pane to the first diagram as shown above. The other direction option available is degrees clockwise from north, and is also described and diagramed further down in the “Help” pane.

� Click on the Choices button.

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� Select 45 from the list of commonly used choices.

Note that the wind directions listed are as Deg from Upslope. Also notice the “Help” pane is available in the “Direction of Wind Vector” dialog box.

� Click the Ok button in the “Direction of Wind Vector” dialog box.

The value 45 is now in the input field.

� Type “15” in the Slope Steepness field.

The completed worksheet should looks like this.

Selected Fuel Model

Determines Required

Moisture Inputs

Fuel models do not all have the same input requirements. BehavePlus modifies the Worksheet as fuel models are changed or added to the Fuel Model text box. Change fuel model 2 to fuel model 10.

� Use your cursor to select 2 in the Fuel Model text box.

� Type “10” and press the Enter key.

Note the Live Herbaceous Moisture text box is now shaded and the Live

Woody Moisture text box is not. This is due to different fuel model parameters.

� Type “150” in the Live Woody Moisture text box.

The value for Live Herbaceous Moisture is still there, but will not be used for the current calculations.

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� Click on the Fuel Model (Guide) button.

� Select Timber with grass and understory (Fuel Model 2) and then also select Timber with litter & understory (Fuel Model 10) as shown below.

� Click the Ok button to close the “Input Guide” dialog box.

The worksheet now indicates that both fuel models will be used in the calculations.

� Click the toolbar button.

� Click the Ok button on the “Calculate Results” dialog box and review your outputs.

Changing Input Options Options for entering input can be changed for some variables. For example, the SurfaceBasic Worksheet fuel moisture variable was set to be entered by individual

size class. Other options are to enter moisture by dead and live category (demonstrated below) or by moisture scenario (described in Lesson 6).

� Click the (Module selection) button on the toolbar.

� Click the SURFACE module Options button.

The “Surface Module Options” dialog box opens with the Outputs tab displayed.

� Select the Fuel & Moisture tab.

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� Change Moisture is entered by to the dead and live category radio button.

� Select the Wind Speed tab.

See Lesson 12 on calculating Wind Adjustment Factors.

It is very important in fire behavior calculations to understand the different ways wind speed is measured as there are significant differences in wind speed at various height above the ground. Typically winds measured at a fixed weather station or forecasted in a general weather forecast are measured 20-ft. above the top of the vegetation. Winds measured by a standing individual using a handheld aeronimeter are labeled eye-level. In many situations eye-level and mid-flame winds are considered the same.

Wind speed is set to be entered as midflame height on the SurfaceBasic Worksheet. Another option is to enter 20-foot wind speed and a wind adjustment factor that adjusts the 20-foot wind speed to a mid-flame wind speed.

� Change Wind speed is entered as midflame height to the 20-ft wind

and wind adj factor radio button.

� Select the Directions and Slope tabs to review the input options found on those tabs.

Selected Output Variables &

Input Requirements

The worksheet will also automatically adjust displaying only those input fields that are required to compute the values for the selected output variables.

� Click on the Outputs tab.

� Select and clear check boxes for the output variables as shown below.

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� Click the Ok button on the “Module Options” dialog box.

� Click the Ok button on the “Module Selection” dialog box.

All dialog boxes should now be closed and your worksheet should look like this.

� Type “6” in the Dead Fuel Moisture text box.

� Type “100, 300” in the Live Fuel Moisture text box.

Using “Choices” to Define

Input

� Type “10” in the 20-ft Wind Speed text box.

� Click on the Wind Adjustment Factor (Guide) button.

� Click the Choices button.

� Select 0.2 FULLY SHELTERED… from the “Wind Adjustment Factor” dialog box.

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� Click the Ok button to return to the Worksheet.

� Type "3" in the Elapsed Time text box.

An Elapsed Time input is requested because you earlier selected Spread

Distance as an output variable. Your worksheet should now appear like this.

Change Input Options � Click the (Module selection) toolbar button.

� Click the Options button for the SURFACE module.

� Select the Fuel & Moisture tab.

� Select the individual size class radio button in the Moisture is

entered by section.

� Click the Ok buttons to close “Surface Module Options” and “Module Selection” dialog boxes.

The worksheet now appears as shown below. Note that the previously entered fuel moisture values are still there.

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� Click the Ok button on the “Calculate Results” dialog box and review your outputs.

BehavePlus can also output dis-tances in map units. See Chap-ter 14: Map Applications in the Users Guide.

While this run is very similar to the previous one in this lesson, take note of the Spread Distance table (page 6). This displays the total spread distance for the value (3 hr.) entered in the Elasped Time text box.

� Close this Run by selecting the File > Close command.

The "0Startup.bpw"

Worksheet & Input Options

Remember from Lesson 2 that BehavePlus allows you to build your own Worksheet from scratch with the 0Startup.bpw worksheet and selecting modules.

� Select File > New and load the 0Startup.bpw worksheet found in the Examples Worksheets folder.

� Click the (Module selection) button.

� Select the Spotting Distance (SPOT) module check box.

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� Click the Ok button to close the “Module Selection” dialog box.

Your Worksheet should now look like this.

The SPOT module predicts maximum spot fire distance from torching trees, burning piles of debris, or a wind driven surface fire depending on the output selected. The default is torching trees. Inputs include a simple description of the terrain, forest cover, and windspeed. The model does not address the probability of trees torching, but rather what would happen if trees did torch. The model also does not include the probability of spot fire ignition, this output is found in the IGNITE module.

� Type "20" in the Canopy Height text box.

� Type "5" in the Tree Height text box.

� Press the Tab or Enter keys to advance to the next text box.

The following error statement appears.

� Click the Ok button to close the “Error” dialog box.

The value of "5" that you entered for Tree Height is selected on the worksheet.

� Replace the "5" with "50".

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� Click the Spot Tree Species (Guide) button.

� Scroll down the list of species and select PSEMEN Pseudotsuga

menziesii (Douglas-fir).

� Click the Ok button to close the “Input Guide” dialog box and enter the tree species on the Worksheet.

� Click the D.B.H. (Guide) button.

� Look at the Help pane to see the description for D.B.H.

Note that the valid range for input is from 5 to 40 inches.

� Type "12" in the From text box.

You can use the Input Guide to enter just a single value, simply enter it in the From text box.


� Type "10" in the 20-ft Wind Speed text box.

The Terrain variables, Ridge-to-Valley Horizontal Distance and Spotting

Source Location, are shaded unless a non-zero value is entered for Ridge-to-

Valley Elevation Difference.

� Type "1000" in the Ridge-to-Valley Elevation Difference text box and press the Tab key.

The two Terrain input text boxes are no longer shaded.

� Click the Ridge-to-Valley Horizontal Distance (Guide) button.

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� Scroll down in the “Help” pane to the following diagram that gives guidance on required input.

� Type "2" in the From text box.

� Click the Ok button.

� Click the Spotting Source Location (Guide) button.

� Select all four location options as shown bellow:


� Type "6" in the Number of Torching Trees text box.

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Your worksheet now appears as follows.


� Click the Ok button on the “Calculate Results” dialog box to review your outputs.

While the ridge top (RT) locations show the longest expected spotting distance the midslope (MW, ML) and valley bottom (VB) locations all have similar spotting distances in this topographic situation. Page 4 of the output displays a description of the discrete variable codes used in the Run.

Remember the SPOT module predicts only the one glowing ember that travels the furthest, there is no information as to the number of embers generated or their distribution between the source and the maximum distance.

Change the Spotting Source � Click the (Module selection) button.

� Click on the Options button for the SPOT module.

� Clear the Spotting distance from Torching Trees check box and select the Spotting distance from a Burning Pile check box, as shown below:

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� Click the Ok button to close both the “SPOT Module Options” and “Module Selection” dialog boxes.

Note that different input is required on the worksheet as a result of changing the output variable to Spotting Distance from a Burning Pile. Instead of tree information, now flame height is an input.

� Click the Flame Height from a Burning Pile (Guide) button.

� On the “Input Guide” dialog box, type "20" in the From text box, "100" in the Thru text box, and "20" for the Step.

� Click the Ok button.

� In the Worksheet Description text box, type "Lesson #3 - Spotting distance from a burning pile".


� Click the Ok button on the “Calculate Results” dialog box to review your outputs.

The higher the flame height, the longer the spotting distance. Embers at the higher flame heights begin their downwind journey higher above the ground and thus stay in the wind stream longer. Currently there is no way to calculate flame height, you need to estimate it from your experience. Do not substitute flame length of a surface fire for flame height, as they are very different.

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Saving a Run A "Run" is simply a worksheet configuration with a complete set of valid inputs.

� Select the File > saveAs > Run command.

� Select the MyRuns folder so that it is shown in the Run Folder text box.

� Type "Spot-3" in the Run File text box.

The text in the Description text box of the worksheet is entered as the default in the Run Description text box. You can change it if you wish.

� Click the Ok button to save the file and close the “Save As” dialog box.

A “FYI” dialog box appears acknowledging the Run has been successfully saved. This dialog box also gives the complete path name of the saved file. A good habit is to review where the file is saved, so that you’re sure it’s where you thought you saved it.

� Click the Ok button to close the “FYI” dialog box.

� Select the File > Close command to close the Run.

Opening a Run Opening your saved run is easy, remember the output pages are not saved.

� Select the File > Open run command.

� Expand the MyRuns folder by clicking the button.

� Select the Spot-3.bpr file you just saved and click the Ok button on the “Select a Run” dialog box.

Since the completed Worksheet is ready to go - just click the toolbar to recalculate your outputs.

Finally You are getting pretty good doing simple BehavePlus Runs. Continue on with Lesson 4, it goes through more complex Runs and output options. Lesson 4 also contains exercises that reinforce what you have learned in this lesson. Lessons 5 and beyond can then be done in any order.

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Lesson 3 - Input Methods self-study - FireLesson 3 - Input Methods self-study Beh avePlus version 3.0 Lesson 3 - In put Methods December 4, 2005 2 Click the Ok button at the bottom