Researchers develop tool to simulate wildfire dynamics and management strategies
– A new tool called REBURN has been developed by researchers to simulate large forest landscapes and wildfire dynamics under different management strategies.
– The tool can help in understanding the consequences of various wildfire management approaches.
– It can simulate the effects of extinguishing all wildfires regardless of size, a strategy followed in the 20th century that contributed to the rise of severe wildfires.
– REBURN can also simulate allowing certain fires to return to uninhabited areas, which helps create a more diverse forest structure and reduce fire severity.
– The tool can also simulate conditions where forest landscape dynamics have fully recovered.
Hot take:
REBURN is like a digital wildfire wizard, allowing scientists to explore different management strategies in the comfort of their computer screens. With this tool, they can see the consequences of their choices without actually starting real fires. It’s like playing SimCity with a fiery twist. Let’s hope this tool leads to better wildfire management strategies and a cooler planet.
Original article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230821114327.htm