Figure 10. — Gearcut logging area (left foreground) at the site of the Sundance Fire. At this time, on August 

 30, the fire was backing into Soldier Credc drainage. 



Ground litter loadings were obtained from 

 field sampling and found to be near 20 tons 

 per acre. Again, in some areas the loadings 

 could have been as low as 1 ton per acre. 



In determinations of fuel loading, crown 

 material was limited to foliage and branches 

 under 1/8-inch diameter, since field inspec- 

 tion of residual stems indicated most of such 

 material was consumed. Areas where larger 

 material in the crowns was burned were evi- 

 dent, but were disregarded in the computa- 

 tions. The maximum size for brush material 

 was set at one-fourth inch, based on field 

 sampling. 



Ground litter loadings varied considerably, 

 but the field-obtained values were accepted as 

 representative. The effects of logging slash 

 and its treatment on the fire's intensity are 

 difficult to evaluate. About 50 percent of the 

 untreated logging slash in the area was more 

 than 8 years old. Most of the fresh slash was 

 at the southwest end of the fire area and was 

 burned the day before the major run. Slash 



areas, therefore, were not considered to be 

 different from the timbered areas in ground- 

 litter determinations. 



Details of the calculations of fuel loading 

 are given in Appendix 1, along with a descrip- 

 tion of the measurements of moisture con- 

 tent. Samples of the fuels were taken to estab- 

 lish moisture content levels in each stratum. 



Percentage estimates of fuel consumption 

 are given in the Log, at approximately 

 hourly intervals. These percentages are based 

 on information gathered during the inter- 

 views, research data, and the acquired knowl- 

 edge of experienced firefighters. The amount 

 of fuel from each of the three fuel levels con- 

 sumed in the fire front was estimated after 

 considering the terrain and wind conditions, 

 the rate of spread, and the observations of 

 eyewitnesses. For example, where the fire 

 front is being carried by the brush level at a 

 low rate of spread with little wind we might 

 consider that 90-percent available ground 

 +95-percent brush -i-20-percent crown fuel 



11 



