Soil temperatures under grass fires

Abstract

A simplified mathematical model describing soil temperatures under grass fires is presented. It is assumed that, for grass fires that are short-lived in any one spot, the soil temperature just beneath the surface does not rise above 100°C. Data are presented for two experiments in which temperatures just above the soil surface and at depths ranging from 0.3 to 4 cm were measured. These results are compared with the results predicted by the theory and reasonable agreement is found. Predicted maximum temperature profiles for two soil thermal diffusivities and two fire durations are given.