Volatile resins in the leaves generate intense fires during the growing season. High accumulations of standing dead shrubs aggravate this situation. Rate of spread, flame length and fireline intensity, under wildfire conditions, often approach or exceed the levels at which hand crews can safely and effectively work. Fuel model 4 represents the shrublands with very little canopy cover. Foliage, live and dead twigs and branches carry the fire.
Fires are of high intensity and spread rapidly with high potential of spotting.
Volatile resins in the needles and leaves generate intense fires during the growing season. High accumulation of standing dead shrubs contributes to intensifying the fire. The dwarf pine plains in Westhampton is the only example of the combination of scrub oak and pitch pine. Associated with the dwarf pine plains and elsewhere in the Central Pine Barrens are large areas dominated by scrub oak with scattered tall pitch pine. Fire conditions worsen as temperature increases and relative humidity decreases.