Fire Spread

Authored By: A. Long

There are four general modes of propagation by which a fire can spread from one area to another:

Ground fires: restricted to the layer of duff, roots, and buried or partially buried dead and decaying logs.
Surface fires: propagate through fuels less than two meters high, which are commonly small trees, shrubs, herbaceous vegetation, and litter.
Crown fires: advance through the aerial strata of the forest more or less independently of surface fires
Spotting: occurs when firebrands are transported naturally by wind, convection, or gravity beyond the main perimeter of the fire.