A practical guide to predicting fire spread in the field
This field workbook translates research findings into a usable tool for fire managers, helping you estimate rate of spread for wildfires and prescribed burns. It focuses on a predictive model you can apply on-site, with worksheets and transformations to support real-time decisions.
The book presents the ROS formula in worksheet form, shows how to enter measured values, and explains how to interpret the results as guidance. It emphasizes that predictions are indicators to aid judgment, not exact forecasts, and that experience matters when applying the numbers to real conditions.
- How the predictive model works and what it can tell you about fire behavior
- How to collect and transform field data for use in the worksheet
- How to interpret ROS values safely alongside experience and conditions
- How this tool supports planning and safer, more effective fire management
Ideal for fire managers, analysts, and students who need a practical, applied approach to understanding and using rate-of-spread predictions.