Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

In order to investigate causes affecting the extension of forest fire size, we studied detail factors of forest fire spread at total 31 sites, which were consisted of 16 sites of over 30 ha from large size forest fire, and 15 sites of less than 30ha from small size forest fires during recent three years(2000~2003). Being based on findings upon investigation, The detail factors observed were statistically analyzed to see if there were any difference between large size and small size forest fires. The analysis results showed statistical significance at 1% probability level for six factors, including tree type, fuel continuity, wind speed, maximum wind speed, maximum elevation, and length of slope. In particular, the main factors of causing large forest fires are a distribution of tree species such as conifer(Pinus densiflora Sieb.et Zucc), a continuity of fuel arrangement, a wind speed of 5m/s over, the maximum wind speed of 9m/s over, the maximum elevation of 420m over and length of slope of 650m over. This paper focus is a need for study about spot fires and above six factors for the prevention of forest fires