Extreme fire behaviour

Research projects covered: Fire Development, Transitions and Suppression and Modelling Investigation of Lofting Phenomena and Wind Variability

What's it about?

This documentary covers the following research projects.

Fire development, transitions and suppressions:
This project was the first comprehensive investigation of the factors influencing the lifecycle of a bushfire, from its inception, through its development and growth to the point where it begins to throw firebrands and start spotfires, starting the cycle again. It has advanced new understandings of how bushfires develop.

Modelling investigation of lofting phenomena and wind variability:
This study investigated the science behind extreme fire weather and how these conditions contribute to dangerous spotting. The team developed a better understanding of the physical mechanisms that lead to bushfire spotting through interactions between a smoke plume and the atmosphere. As this understanding further develops, the ability to be able to predict spotting better will increase. 

Overview of the research

Who can this benefit?

• Fire operations staff
• Incident controllers
• Fire behaviour analysts
• Strategic Planning
• Risk Assessment
• Volunteers

Key resources you should know about

• Fire Note on Fire development, transitions and suppression - Fire Note 94: An overview
• Fire Note on Firebrand behaviour and the probability of fuel bed ignition - Fire Note 99: Firebrand behaviour
• Fire Note on Predicting daily human-caused bushfire ignitions - Fire Note 123: Predicting daily human-caused bushfire ignitions
• Fire Development, Transitions, and Suppression final report
• Understanding Complex Fire Behaviour: Lofting Phenomena and Wind Variability final report
• Fire Australia article - Fire development in focus
• Fire Australia article - Fire and weather: Understanding extremes