Coupling Models for Forest Fire Behavior Simulation: State of the Art and Future Perspective

Abstract

Wildfires are complex phenomena that involve dynamic interactions between fire, the atmosphere, vegetation, and other environmental components. To capture this complexity and achieve more realistic simulations of fire spread and its feedbacks, the scientific community has developed coupled models. These systems integrate a fire behavior model with other models, such as meteorological or ecological models. Modeling has evolved from decoupled approaches with static inputs to coupled systems that capture dynamic feedback mechanisms. There are two main categories: quasi-physical coupled models that incorporate fireatmosphere physics through semi-empirical relationships for heat release and spread rates, and physics-based models that represent fire behavior at a more sophisticated level, resolving combustion processes with high resolution. The key advantages of coupled models lie in their ability to simulate extreme fire behaviors, such as eddies and towering convection columns, and to predict spotting. However, their most significant limitation is their substantial computational demands, which often preclude their real-time use for operational forecasts. The future of coupled modeling lies in more sophisticated multidisciplinary integration and the development of computational innovations, seeking to balance physical fidelity with operational feasibility through frameworks such as FINAM.