Consume 3.0 -- A Software Tool for Computing Fuel Consumption

Knowing when, where and how fire should be applied is critical for land managers planning to use fire prescriptively for land management goals, or allowing fires ignited naturally to burn. Myriad variables need to be taken into consideration to determine how fire will consume different fuels. Consume, version 3.0 is a user-friendly software that incorporates the Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS) to predict fuel consumption, pollutant emissions, and heat release. A flexible tool, Consume 3.0 makes these calculations based on fuel loadings, fuel moisture and other environmental factors.Key Findings Consume 3.0 resolves differences in fuel consumption between the flaming phase of consumption and the smoldering phase that usually causes the majority of wildfire emissions. The 3.0 version of Consume includes consumption models for fuel categories in additional fuel types such as black and white spruce/hardwoods; longleaf and loblolly pine; ponderosa pine; grasslands; and sagebrush. Consume 3.0 works within the Microsoft Windows operating system. However, calculations are handled in a Java-based engine and can be run separately in batch mode detached from the Windows environment. A wide variety of operating systems, such as Macintosh, Unix and Linux can thus be used.