Simulating the Atmospheric Response to a Wildland Fire using a Cloud-Resolving Model

Marshall Stageberg, Michigan State University

Usage Details

The goal of this project is to investigate complex flows that occur in the vicinity of a wildland fire. These flows are primarily driven by heat and moisture released from the fire. Since extreme conditions in the fire environment make collecting meteorological observations difficult, we employ a high-resolution model to simulate the atmospheric responses to a fire. We employ the Cloud Model 1 because it is designed to simulate high-resolution, cloud-scale processes that are relevant for fire-atmosphere interactions. Our simulations will establish the sensitivity of fire-induced flows to heat and moisture fluxes from the fire and to atmospheric stability and wind profiles. Our results will help us to better understand the sensitivity to these variations of the inflow/outflow patterns and of the atmospheric perturbations. The simulations, when combined with available observations, will help diagnose the character of fire-atmosphere interactions, which will then help inform operational decision-making when fighting fires.