@article{fdi:010074006,
  title = {{S}eason affects fire behavior in annually burned humid savanna of {W}est {A}frica},
  author = {{N}'{D}ri, {A}. {B}. and {S}oro, {T}. {D}. and {G}ignoux, {J}. and {D}osso, {K}. and {K}one, {M}. and {N}'{D}ri, {J}. {K}. and {K}one, {N}. {A}. and {B}arot, {S}{\'e}bastien},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground: {F}ire is important for the maintenance of {A}frican savanna ecosystems, particularly humid savanna. {D}espite the importance of fire behavior to our understanding of fire's ecological effects, few studies have documented fire behavior and its determinants in humid {W}est {A}frican savannas and, in particular, whether fire behavior depends on season of the year. {W}e analyzed fire behavior in the {G}uinean savanna of {L}amto ({I}vory {C}oast) during a 4-year field experiment. {T}he fire regimes tested consisted of three different burning seasons: early-season fire, mid-season fire, and late-season fire. {N}ine 0.5 ha plots were burned annually to determine the rate of spread and fire intensity. {F}uel characteristics and weather conditions were measured to assess their impact on fire behavior. {R}esults: {U}nderstory grass height, total fresh fuel load, and moisture content had greater values in early-season fire than in mid-season and late-season fire. {T}he rate of spread and intensity of both mid-season fire (0.14 +/- 0.03 m s(-1) and 3920 +/- 740 k{W} m(-1), respectively) and of late-season fire (0.12 +/- 0.02 m s(-1) and 3134 +/- 482 k{W} m(-1), respectively) were significantly greater than those of early-season fire (0.04 +/- 0.01 m s(-1) and 1416 +/- 252 k{W} m(-1), respectively). {T}he best predictors of fire behavior were fuel moisture content and air humidity; these two explanatory variables were the sole significant predictors for fire intensity, rate of fire spread, and flame height. {C}onclusions: {G}iven that there is no difference between intensity of mid-season and late-season fire, we suggest that the generally reported higher impact of late-season fire on trees in the {W}est {A}frican humid savannas is due not to fire intensity per se, but rather to a more sensitive phenological stage of trees (e.g., leafless in mid-season), and to a longer time of exposure to lethal temperatures (> 60 degrees {C}) in the late dry season. {T}hese data provide important insights into fire behavior in the {G}uinean savanna-forest mosaic ecoregion, informing fire management.},
  keywords = {burning season ; fire severity ; fuel loads ; {G}uinean savanna ; {COTE} {D}'{IVOIRE} ; {LAMTO} ; {ZONE} {GUINEENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}ire {E}cology},
  volume = {14},
  numero = {},
  pages = {art. 5 [11 p.]},
  ISSN = {1933-9747},
  year = {2018},
  DOI = {10.1186/s42408-018-0005-9},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010074006},
}