The Role of Fuel Characteristics and Heat Release Formulations in Coupled Fire-Atmosphere Simulation

In this study, we focus on the effects of fuel bed representation and fire heat smoke distribution in a coupled fire-atmosphere simulation platform for two landscape-scale fires: 2018 Camp Fire 2021 Caldor Fire. The WRF-Fire currently includes only surface fuels. Thus, enhance model by adding canopy characteristics release, which method to calculate generated from consumption is developed implemented WRF-Fire. Furthermore, current atmosphere replaced with heat-conserving Truncated Gaussian (TG) function its are evaluated. simulated perimeters case studies validated against semi-continuous, high-resolution derived NEXRAD radar observations. plumes cases compared reflectivity observations, followed buoyancy analysis using temperature vertical velocity fields. results show that while improved TG release scheme have small wind-driven Fire, they affect propagation direction plume-driven leading better-matching However, representation, together scheme, leads more realistic plume structure comparison observations both fires. also depicts fire-induced anomalies atmospheric circulation when improved.