Fuel Moisture

Fuel moisture is the percentage of water in a fuel (vegetation) available to a fire. Generally, high fuel moistures make it difficult for fires to ignite, while low fuel moistures make it easy for fires to start and spread rapidly. In Los Alamos, the fuel moisture at which fire will not spread, or the "moisture of extinction," is approximately 25%. 

Learn more about fuel moisture.

The 10-hr fuel moisture is measured at various locations around the Lab, which is then used to estimate other time lags (1-hr, 100-hr, 1000-hr). The 1-hr fuel moisture is especially important because it can change rapidly and fires usually begin with the ignition of fuels in this category.

Learn more about our fuel moisture sensors.