Two-Dimensional Fire Spread Decomposition in Cellular DEVS Models

Wildfires and their associated destruction have highlighted the need for real-time simulation systems for accurately predicting fire spread. Such systems would assist fire managers in their efforts to effectively contain potentially catastrophic fires. Modeling and simulation of forest fire spread using the cellular discrete event approach is based on dividing the forest into small areas called cells. Fire spread is then modeled as a contagion process between cells where forward fire spread across each cell is computed using a mathematical fire spread model. Rothermel’s mathematical fire spread model allows for computing a onedimensional maximum forward spread rate and direction. Fire spread in all other directions is inferred from this forward spread rate. If this inference is not correctly abstracted it can lead to distortion of fire shapes and incorrect simulation results. This paper proposes a new two-dimensional fire spread decomposition scheme for cellular DEVS models based on Rothermel’s mathematical fire spread model. Preliminary simulation results demonstrating the proposed scheme are presented.