A climatologically based long-range fire growth model
Kerry Anderson
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Northern Forestry Centre, 5320 122 Street, Edmonton, AB, T6H 3S5, Canada. Email: kanderso@nrcan.gc.ca
International Journal of Wildland Fire 19(7) 879-894 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF09053
Submitted: 25 May 2009 Accepted: 2 May 2010 Published: 5 November 2010
Abstract
A long-range fire growth model was developed to predict the potential size or probable extent of a wildfire if it was allowed to grow unimpeded for the course of the fire season. The model combines the probabilities of fire spread and of survival to produce a probable fire extent map. Probability of spread is determined from exponential distributions of potential rates of spread for various fuel types and eight compass directions, based on 30 years of fire weather data and elliptical fire growth. Probability of survival is determined from the probable evolution of the duff moisture code over the fire season predicted with Markov chains and a duff moisture code of extinction. A comparative study was conducted within Wood Buffalo National Park. The long-term model was compared with a distribution of fire perimeters predicted by repeated simulations using an hourly based, deterministic fire growth model. The study was conducted in stages, starting with a homogeneous fuel type and weather from one station. Later, fuels and weather were introduced to determine their effects on the model. The study showed a close agreement between the long-range model and the deterministic model, supporting the probabilistic approach used by the long-range model.
Additional keywords: climatology, fire-growth modelling, large fires, Markov chains, survival, Wood Buffalo National Park.
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