COMBUSTIBILITY OF FRESH LEAVES OF 26 FOREST SPECIES IN CHINA/Keterbakaran daun segar 26 spesies pokok hutan di China

In subtropical evergreen forest in East China, forest fires cause huge economic losses. Flammability of fresh leaves can play an important role in determining fire spread. Therefore, a study on the influence of fire on evergreen trees is of great importance to investigate the ecological properties of forest fire and protection of tree species. The combustibility of fresh leaves of 26 dominant evergreen plant species in East China were compared and suitable species for use as fire-resistant tree species were recommended. Using the cone calorimeter, variations of 12 burning parameters through time were described. The principal components affecting combustibility of fresh leaves were smoke, heat and time. Most burning characteristics were correlated with heat. Based on thermal-calorimetry analysis and smoke spread test data, 17 species were slow combustible species, with relatively longer ignition delay time, lower heat release rates and peak of heat release rate, longer time to peak of heat release rate, less total heat release and higher smoke production.