Estimation of moisture content of the dead fuels depend on meteorological paramaters in different closure calabrian pine and anatolian black pine stands

Forest fires begin usually and spread dead fuel layer being in forest floor. Beginning, improvement and spread of a fire depend on substantially fuel moisture content. However measuring fuel moisture content are troublesome, time-consuming and expensive. So fuel moisture content are estimated by statistical models according to different stand structures and weather conditions. In this study, fine fuel and duff moisture content were measured depend on weather conditions in Calabrian Pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) and Anatolian Black Pine (Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold) with different crown closure and fuel moisture models were developed. The developed models were accounted for 84% of fine fuel moisture variation and 88% of duff moisture variation. The developed models were accounted for 86% of fine fuel moisture variation and 96% of duff moisture variation after rainfall. The predicting fine fuel and duff moisture content by fuel moisture models in different weather conditions will be useful for fire management practices such as fire danger rating, planning of controlled fire, fire potential, and predicting fire behavior.