| Abstrakt: |
Background: Assessment of fuel hazard has become the dominant method of describing Australian forest fuel complexes, despite a lack of evidence supporting the veracity of its underpinning assumptions. Aims: To analyse and discuss the merits of fuel hazard ratings and scores in representing measurable fuel characteristics, such as fuel load and fire behaviour potential. Methods: Published findings were reviewed, and available data analysed to investigate the validity of the Australian fuel hazard assessment concepts. Key results: Multiple published studies showed the Australian fuel hazard assessment methods to be subjective and non-replicable. All available evidence shows no relationship between fuel hazard ratings and fuel quantity. No relationship between the ratings and fire behaviour potential was found. Conclusions: The principles underpinning the use of fuel hazard ratings for fuel assessment were shown to be unfounded. The ratings cannot be converted into physical fuel characteristics or fire behaviour potential, and its application in Australian fire management is unwarranted. The validity of fuel hazard rating for assessment of fuels in Australian forests was reviewed. The principles underpinning the rating method were shown to be unfounded, with ratings found to be neither related to physical fuel characteristics nor fire behaviour potential. Their application in Australian fire management and research is unwarranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
