Fine fuel moisture code

Essentially, it's a measure of how dry and ready to burn the surface layer of forest or grassland fuels are.

The fine fuel moisture code is heavily influenced by several key weather parameters:

• Higher temperatures directly reduce the moisture content of fine fuels, leading to a higher fine fuel moisture code.
• Lower relative humidity means the air is drier, which in turn dries out the fine fuels.
• Wind accelerates the drying process by continuously replacing the moist air surrounding the fuels with drier air. Stronger winds also increase the rate of evaporation.
• Rain, even light showers, significantly increases the moisture content of fine fuels, causing the fine fuel moisture code to drop.
• Direct sunlight increases the surface temperature of fuels, accelerating evaporation and lowering moisture content.

The fine fuel moisture code is a crucial component of fire weather index systems. It provides a real-time assessment of the flammability of fine fuels, allowing fire managers to predict the potential for ignition and the rate of spread of surface fires. A high fine fuel moisture code indicates a greater risk of rapid fire spread, while a low fine fuel moisture code suggests a lower risk.