For the last decade, the WIFIRE Lab at UC San Diego has modeled wildfires across California to help firefighters make the best plans for how to stop the fires quickly and safely. But wildfires have become harder and harder to fight because of a buildup of dry vegetation that makes wildfires burn too hot and fast for firefighters to control. As a result, fire management practitioners are increasingly turning to prescribed burns -- beneficial fires that are set under specific weather conditions -- to reduce dangerous vegetation buildup and reduce the risk of future fires. You can watch this short animated video to learn more about prescribed burns.
Planning prescribed burns is difficult because burn planners need to identify weather conditions that will make for a successful burn. These prescribed fires need to be planned very carefully so that they do not harm ecosystems or create smoke that is dangerous for humans and wildlife. This means that the fires need to burn quickly, but at the same time they should not burn too intensely. Fire behavior during a prescribed fire is a function of the three-dimensional structure of vegetation, wind, humidity, topography, and the ignition patterns used by burn bosses.
