Pacific Southwest

Title: Measuring soil and tree temperatures during prescribed fires with thermocouple probes

Author: Sackett, Stephen S.; Haase, Sally M.

Date: 1992

Source: Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-131. Berkeley, Calif.: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 15 p

Station ID: GTR-PSW-131

Description: Soil and cambium temperatures must be known to ascertain certain effects of prescribed fires on trees. Thermocouple-based systems were devised for measuring soil and cambium temperatures during prescribed fires. The systems, which incorporate both commercially available and custom components, perform three basic functions: data collection, data retrieval, and data translation. Although the systems and procedures for using them were designed for research purposes, they could be adapted for monitoring operational prescribed fires.

Keywords: soil temperature, tree temperature, prescribed fire, thermocouples, dataloggers, Southwestern ponderosa pine, sugar pine, giant sequoia

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Citation

Sackett, Stephen S.; Haase, Sally M.  1992.  Measuring soil and tree temperatures during prescribed fires with thermocouple probes.   Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-131. Berkeley, Calif.: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 15 p.