Disturbance history is known to affect fire risk by altering fuel dynamics, but the effects of disturbance on micro-meteorological conditions that influence fire are poorly understood. Logging and wildfire can significantly alter the height and density of vegetation in forests. These structural attributes can influence aspects of the sub-canopy microclimate that may influence forest flammability. We used portable weather stations to measure the effects of time since logging and time since wildfire on air temperature, relative humidity, vapour pressure deficit and windspeed at 119 sites in coastal forest in south-eastern Australia. These data were used to calculate fuel moisture and within forest Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI). Data were collected on 345 days (12 days per site on average), over three consecutive fire seasons. Temperature, vapour pressure deficit, windspeed and forest FFDI all decreased with time since logging, while relative humidity and fuel moisture content increased
WATERTOWN — Following a rise in building fires in the community over the past several months, Fire Marshal Kim Calabrese reminds residents of some basic fire safety information.