Fuel loading

The amount of fuel available obviously affects fire behavior. More fuel can support a larger, more intense fire. Fuel loading is usually expressed as the dry weight of fuels in tons per acre. Fuel loading may range from less than one ton per acre in a hayed pasture to more than 50 tons per acre in heavy logging slash or forest stands. Because fuels may vary in their moisture content, some fuels may not be flammable or available at the time of the fire, limiting the effective fuel load. As the days since the last rainfall increases, more of the total fuel load will become available to burn.