!
NC Woody Biomass
“Nature’s renewable energy!”
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fore
stry/biomass.html
Extension Forestry
Campus Box 8008
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
Minimizing Wildfire Risk with
Biomass Harvesting!
North Carolina is experiencing historic population growth which has
led to significant changes in land use. North Carolina’s population
growth is expanding communities into rural lands and woodlands,
known as the wildland-urban interface (WUI). It is in these areas that
wildfire is a growing concern. This note describes how biomass
harvesting can reduce wildfire risk.
What Can Biomass
Harvesting Do?
Biomass harvests can lower fire
susceptibility in at-risk
communities through fuel
reductions while avoiding the
high costs associated with
current fuel removal practices.
Biomass harvests can aid
communities in need of fuel
reduction at low or no cost
while providing for jobs, a fuel
source for renewable energy or
other value-added products.
Biomass harvesting can
mitigate the risk of wildfire in
at-risk communities, especially
in those areas where prescribed
fire is not a viable option.
Biomass Harvesting to
Minimize Risk
Biomass harvesting is the
cutting or removal of trees and
other vegetation from a
woodland or forest to regulate
the number, quality and
distribution of the vegetation
(Figure 1). To reduce the risk
of wildfire, a partial harvest or
thinning is conducted to reduce
the density of standing
vegetation or biomass that may
accumulate on the forest floor.
The partial harvesting for fuel
reduction does not mean
removing ALL vegetation but
altering the horizontal
continuity and vertical
North Carolina leads the nation!
• 12.8 Million acres in wildland-urban interface.
• Over 1.4 million homes in the wildland-urban interface.
Wildland fire can significantly reduce the social, economic, and
ecological benefits produced by North Carolina’s forests and
woodlands. For communities affected by wildland fire, the impacts
are often negative and devastating- leading to disruption of
ordinary life because of evacuations, loss of homes and properties,
and increased health concerns.!
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Figure 1. A forest before and after treatment to reduce the risk of wildfire!!
arrangement of the fuels in order to
significantly decrease the risk of severe or
catastrophic wildfires. Also, a partial
biomass harvest can enhance wildlife
habitat and recreational opportunities,
promote forest health, improve aesthetics,
and even improve timber values.
Major Factors Affecting Wildfires
Wildfires are influenced by three major
factors: weather, topography, and
vegetation (biomass). Vegetation
modification is the only practical means of
reducing wildfire risk, because weather and
topography cannot be changed. Current
prevention methods include the creation of
survivable space by removal and
replacement of vegetation adjacent to
houses and other structures. Unfortunately,
the prohibitive costs of mechanical control
and limits on prescribed burning to control
excess vegetation currently restrict the
ability of owners and communities to tackle
fuel reduction on a larger scale. Wildfire
mitigation is further limited when housing
densities restrict rural forest management
that would ordinarily reduce heavy fuel
loads in the course of periodic harvests.
Advocates suggest that viable biomass
markets and harvesting can accomplish fire
risk and fuel reduction adjacent to
populated areas.!!
Fuel Reduction Priority Areas for Biomass
Harvesting
• Structures surrounded by heavy
vegetation (impenetrable shrubs,
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A Community at-risk of catastrophic
wildfire often has several of the following
factors.
• Area is prone to wind storms, ice
storms, or forest insect and
disease epidemics.
• Area has high concentration of
dense vegetation, “ladder-like”
vegetation, or excess levels of
accumulated forest floor
vegetation.
• Topography is usually steep.
• Area historically has high
frequency of wildfires.
• Homes, businesses, and
infrastructure are vulnerable to
ignition from firebrands,
radiation, or convection.
• Few roads or limited vehicular
access to defend the community
from wildfire.
• Community lacks a wildfire
protection plan.
!
#!!
trees, vines)
• Continuous “ladder-like” vegetation
that allows wildfire to climb and
burn the tree canopy
• Areas with a hazardous buildup of
vegetative fuel (storm and
insect/disease damaged areas)
• Areas with continuous fuels and no
fire breaks or agricultural clearings
to stop running wildfires
!
Woody biomass surrounding
a home at risk of wildfire
#
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The increased incidence and severity of
wildfires in the wildland-urban interface
has prompted the federal government to
enact the Healthy Forest Restoration Act
(HFRA). Through this act communities
have the best opportunity to minimize the
risk of wildland fire through collaboration
with federal agencies, state agencies, and
local governments in developing a
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
(CWPP) that identifies and prioritizes fuel
reduction on federal and non-federal lands.
The CWPP provides communities with
tremendous opportunity to influence where
and how fuel reduction projects are
implemented. For more information on
developing a CWPP and the HFRA visit
http://www.safnet.org/policyandpress/cwpp
.cfm .
712'2#0%#82,#925:#
Managing woodlands or forest to reduce
wildfire risk can be an overwhelming task.
It is important to seek assistance from the
North Carolina Division of Forest
Resources (www.dfr.state.nc.us/), your
local Cooperative Extension office
(www.ces.ncsu.edu), or a consulting
forester
(www.dfr.state.nc.us/tending/tending_cons
ulting.htm). To seek assistance in
developing a firewise community, visit
www.ncfirewise.org. To learn more about
reducing wildfire risk please read the
Cooperative Extension publications
• Minimizing Wildfire Risk –A forest
landowner’s guide (AG 616)
(http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/p
df/ag/ag-616.pdf)
• Firewise Landscaping in North
Carolina
(http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/p
df/ag/firewise_landscaping.pdf)
!
!
www.ces.ncsu.edu/forestry/biomass.html
!
Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension
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Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Distributed in furtherance of the acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive
action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons
without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Distributed in furtherance of the acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves
to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities
welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local
governments cooperating.
copies of this public document were printed at a cost of or per copy.
!!
Prepared by
Robert E. Bardon, PhD, Forestry Extension Specialist
Mark A. Megalos, PhD, Forestry Extension Specialist
WB-0009/2008
