Fire behavior modeling-a decision tool

Abstract

The usefulness of an analytical model as a fire management decision tool is determined by the correspondence of its descriptive capability to the specific decision context. Fire managers must determine the usefulness of fire models as a decision tool when applied to varied situations. Because the wildland fire phenomenon is complex, analytical fire spread models will have descriptive limitations. Some limitations in the widely used and accepted Rothermel fire spread model are discussed in terms of the model's assumptions and mathematical formulations, in the context of prescribed burning in southern California shrublands.

Citation

Cohen, Jack; Bradshaw, Bill. 1986. Fire behavior modeling-a decision tool. In Proceedings Prescribed Burning in the Midwest: State of the Art Symposium. Koonce, Andrea L. (ed.), Mar 3-6, 1986, Stevens Point, Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin, Stephens Point. 162 p.